Since mid-April, the Zagreb Zoo has been offering its visitors a rare chance to see the olm; a protected, endemic type of amphibian that lives in underground waters only in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Italy and Slovenia. This is a unique opportunity because the olm will be returned to its natural habitat on June 20th.
The olm (Proteus anguinus) is a protected species that is included on the “red list” of endangered animals in Croatia. It is recognizable by its eel-shaped body and pale pink colour without pigment, which is a consequence of its life in the darkness of underground caves. As far as is known, the elusive creature can live for up to sixty years and feeds on water crabs, worm-like animals, molluscs, larvae, and water bugs. This, as well as other interesting information, can be discovered at Zagreb Zoo’s insectariums pavilion, where visitors can also see the olm as well as follow educational lectures led by the Zoo educators and biology students.
This unique animal, which is almost impossible to see in its natural environment as it lives in underground cave waters, was presented in Zagreb on April 17th, the day dedicated to amphibians. That particular olm was found in a stream in Lika by a passerby and, since that is not the usual habitat of the species, the aforementioned passerby saved the little endangered animal. The subsequent rescue effort involved the Zagreb Zoo staff who will return the animal to its natural underground habitat after June 20th.
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