The Slovenian woman of the year is… an olm

Some people have joked that this year the Slovenian woman of the year is the olm. This year the batch of so-called “baby dragons” in Postojna Cave, one of the world’s biggest underground attractions, has become the biggest story of nature and love. Have you ever wondered why everybody is so excited about the olm’s eggs? The New Yorker magazine published an article entitled “What’s behind Slovenia’s love affair with a Salamander?”.

Postojna Cave, the biggest attraction in Slovenia, has one of the most diverse cave systems in the world. It has thrilled over 36 million visitors with its beauty, the adventurous 140-year old cave train and the mysterious life of the animal kingdom. In January, a female olm laid an egg in the vivarium and over 50 more miraculously followed. Months later, they are showing signs of development. While growing, they slowly start to show the recognisable form of this endemic and fragile creature - flat heads, long bodies and delicate little legs. Their skin lacks pigment, leaving their internal organs visible and giving a feeling of how delicate olms are. “The olm is certainly, an animal worth celebrating,” commented The New Yorker magazine. Take a closer look at the "Baby Dragons" Embryo Movement video.

You can read more about the largest cave-dwelling animals in the world in the article What’s behind Slovenia’s love affair with a Salamander? Discover why people have always connected olms with clean underground water and mighty dragons sleeping beneath the rocks and letting small baby dragons appear on the surface after heavy rain.

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