Olm or proteus (Proteus anguinus) is an aquatic salamander in the family Proteidae that is a strange creature that makes researchers go from one surprise to another.

Scientists from the United Kingdom and Hungary have discovered a species of underwater blind salamander (Olm) in a cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During their long life span of more than 100 years, they hardly eat, move or even mate.

Proteus anguinus is the only burrowing vertebrate found in Europe. It is the only species of the genus Proteus. In contrast to most amphibians, it is completely aquatic and eats, sleeps, and breeds underwater. It is a cave-dwelling species found in the Dinaric Alps and is endemic to the extensive limestone subterranean waters of the karst regions of central and southeastern Europe, particularly southern Slovenia. SOCA river basins near Trieste (Italy), Southwestern Croatia and Herzegovina.

Gergely Balázs, a doctoral student at Roland University, Hungary, and colleagues have been studying the animal since 2010. Balázs and divers have been diving continuously into the Gorica region. In the Vruljak cave in Rebinje, dozens of adult salamanders with a body length greater than 20 cm were studied through the method of marking.

Proteus anguinus, also known as the blind newt, the blind salamander, is an amphibian with a body length of 20 to 30 cm and a maximum length of 40 cm, the only member of the Proteus anguinus family found in Europe. Europe and is the only cave salamander in Europe.

This blind salamander is also sometimes called a “human fish” because their skin color is similar to that of a human. In Slovenia, it is also known by the name močeril. It was first mentioned in 1689 by a local naturalist Valvasor in Carniola’s Glory National Park who reported that after heavy rain thunderstorms were swept up from the groundwater and made people Locals believe they see young cave dragons.

Research results show that this cave salamander has reduced its life activities to a minimum. Most individuals move less than 10 meters in a few years, and the furthest is only 38 meters, there are even some individuals lying motionless in the water for 7 years.
According to research by scientists, these blind animals live in the dark “Hanadu” in the mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina to escape the pursuit of predators, but at the same time this also makes them meet It was very difficult to get food and eventually they chose to evolve in a way to reduce their life activities to as low as possible.

This creature is most notable for its adaptation to a life of all darkness. Their eyes have degenerated, while other senses, especially smell and hearing, are well developed. It also lacks pigment in the skin. The front limbs have three toes, the hind limbs only two. It also exhibits paediatric manifestations, with adults having larval features such as gills, which is similar to the Mexican salamander of the Americas.

In such an environment, cave newts have to slow down their metabolism and live off of small shrimp and snails they accidentally catch – this is the only food they can find with their hearing. his acumen. According to scientists, Axolotl’s metabolism is so slow that it is equivalent to a person eating only one meal in 10 years!

In order to survive in an environment lacking food, this salamander has to slow down its metabolism and live only on small shrimp and snails they accidentally catch – this is also the only food source. that they can find in that habitat. According to scientists, the metabolism of Proteus anguinus is so slow that it equates to about 10 years apart from each of their meals.

Proteus anguinus is a recognized subspecies of mollusk, endemic to groundwater near Črnomelj, Slovenia, an area less than 100 square kilometers. It was first found in 1986 by members of the Slovenian Karst Research Institute who discovered water from the spring Dobličice limestone in the White Carniola area.

Of course, a slow metabolism is not without benefits, the life span of this blind salamander can also be as long as a century. However, the downside of this is also quite obvious, this salamander species is very difficult to establish mating relationships with each other, because they are almost non-moving, so the opportunity for them to meet is also very difficult. According to the calculations of scientists, their average time for each mating is 12.5 years, and this is probably also the only motivation for them to move or have the need to move. Therefore, the essence of this animal’s life lies not in hard work and vivacity, but in composure and carelessness.