Creatures Appeared From Complete Darkness: Flood in the Balkans Brought Out SENSITIVE Species, Here's What Experts Say
Heavy rains that hit Dalmatia have caused damage to both people and animals. Among the most endangered was an almost imperceptible, but extremely significant species – Proteus anguinus, known to people as the olm. Swollen underground waters surfaced and carried these creatures with them, adapted exclusively to life in the dark karst underground, where they alone can survive.
TL;DR
- Heavy rains in Dalmatia caused underground waters to surface, exposing olms (Proteus anguinus) to danger.
- Olms are adapted to dark, stable underground conditions and are vulnerable to surface environments, including infections.
- About ten olms were rescued and taken to the Zagreb Zoo for specialized care and research.
- The Zagreb Zoo already houses olms and is equipped to handle their recovery and study.
- The surfacing of olms is a natural phenomenon that occurs periodically.
- Rescued olms will contribute to conservation efforts and ex situ research on their health, diet, and lifestyle.
- The olm population in Croatia is considered stable, despite these surface-exposure events.