Kingdom : Animalia Class : Amphibia Family : Proteidae Scientific Name : Proteus Anguinus Size(L) : 2.5cm - 30cm (0.9in - 12in) Weight : 2g - 150g (0.07oz - 5.3oz) Top Speed : 8km/h (5mph) Life Span : 10 - 50 years Colour : Pink, White, Peach Skin Type : Permeable Distinctive Features : Elongated body and undeveloped limbs
- Olms are blind amphibians which are found only in the underwater caves in southern Europe.
- They inhabit the water flowing through the extensive limestone region in southern European lakes and rivers.
- They are also known as the human fish because their skin color matches that of humans’.
- They live all their lives in dark caves and have adapted very well to life without light.
- They are blind as their eyes are not properly developed.
- They depend on their excellent sense of smell and hearing to know and understand their surroundings.
- The olm doesn’t undergo a drastic transformation and leads a completely aquatic life.
- They are carnivores, feeding on worms, aquatic insects, larvae, snails and other small invertebrates.
- Their natural predators are fish and other amphibians.
- Olms are late to start reproducing and only reproduce between 10 and 15 years of age.
- The female olms lay around 5-30 eggs between the rocks in water.
- The eggs hatch and the olm tadpoles get to the adult size within a few months.
- Olms are greatly affected by water population and are now a species that is vulnerable from extinction.