Discovered 'baby dragon' in the cave, 7 years without eating, still alive

The Postojna Caves, located an hour's drive southwest of the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, are so vast it has its own railway. It is one of the most visited underground attractions in Europe.

Locals have known the cave for centuries, and starting in 1818, after the trip of Franz I the Austrian, the last Roman Emperor of Europe, more tourists visited the place.

The large cave stretches to 24 km with a network of underground chambers and tunnels, with a small train running inside the cave. The journey down to a depth of 115 meters sometimes takes visitors through paths only about 1 meter wide.

However, what impressed scientists were the strange creatures in the Postojna cave system, unlike anywhere else on Earth.

One of the unique species living in the cave is the 'baby dragon', scientifically known as Olms, actually a blind salamander, about 25 cm long, living in the water.

The locals call them 'baby dragons' because they find them in a cave, usually where dragons live, and they believe they are dragons.

'Baby dragon' in a European cave, 7 years without eating, still alive

Aquatic creature, with pinkish-white, smooth, scaleless skin, limbs with fingers, and thin gills. Many are blind, but still hear noises when people approach. It seems to be sensitive to vibrations.

Primož Gnezda, a biologist who has studied these creatures for many years, says baby dragons are friendly, with about 10 baby dragons on display at the Vivarium, an exhibition space on the side of the cave.

It can live up to 100 years and survive for a long time without eating. Primož Gnezda said: "Definitely seven years. For the first two or three years, they may not eat without problems. But then they start to lose weight, stop moving and lie still waiting for prey. passing. If you fast for longer than 7 years, some may die, some may still survive depending on the metabolism of each individual."

Describing the way baby dragons hunt, experts say they like to eat worms. When the worms formed into small balls mixed into the water, the baby dragon quickly swept it up like a vacuum cleaner.

Notably, its genome is 16 times longer than the human genome and much more complex. Experts say their DNA research is like a 600-page book in which all the words are jumbled up and they have to reconstruct the story.

Its regenerative abilities astound scientists. If they lose a segment, they will grow back later. They live in an environment with a temperature of about 13 degrees Celsius, if the temperature rises suddenly, to about 15 degrees Celsius, they may die. Baby dragons lay eggs and will usually hatch after 4 months. As soon as they hatch, they can swim to the bottom of the tank on their own.