The olm is a rare and strange looking creature from the Urodele family of Proteidae. Learn all about it!
The olm is a rare and strange looking creature from the Urodele family of Proteidae. This amazing creature has a long body that is shaped much like that of an eel and is completely white in color. The head is long, tapering to a blunt snout and a think layer of skin covers the eyes protecting them from light. On both sides of the neck, the olm has gills that appear as feathery appendages that are reddish orange in color. There are three toes on the front feet and two toes on the back feet. This illusive creature is found exclusively in the southern part of Australia's Corinthian Alps to northeastern Italy and in the western part of Yugoslavia. In these areas the olm remains hidden among the limestone caves and streams where they have adapted to this subterranean habitat so well that they rarely survive when removed. It is fascinating to watch this interesting creature as it moves along under the water collecting mollusks and small crustaceans from the under ground streams to feed on. Their entire life is spent in the complex under ground system of these caves, which has made it impossible to observe during the juvenile stage of its life. But in some areas the adults can be found upon occasion and observed during mating.
Although it appears that their favorite habitat is within the confines of the water, the olm is not just found in the water. This amazing creature is capable of moving about on land for long periods of time as they feed. When this occurs the olms skin adapts to lack of water by dehydrating into a thick, leathery mass which disappears when they return to the water. While in the water the skin remains supple from the moisture. This creature has often been observed coming to the surface of its watery habitat frequently to take in air. It is also interesting to note that this eel-like creature is highly sensitive to light. When bright sunlight is present the olm becomes quite aggravated and a noticeable reddening of the skin occurs that in most cases this leads to a type of skin infection. But, if the olm is allowed to accustom itself gradually to sunlight it appears to adapt with no problems. The body of the olm rarely reaches lengths of more than twelve inches. They have adapted to finding their way around their subterranean habitat by using the water currents to travel to a designated area. It is believed that the olm also uses its sense of smell and memory for movements to find a specific area.
The best known documentation of the mating habits of the olm was given when the creature was kept in a controlled environment that imitated its natural environment. Through these studies it was learned that this beautiful and interesting creature has a fascinating courtship ritual that occurs prior to mating. The male olm stakes out his territory and defends it from other males of his species. This often leads to aggressive behavior and even a damaging bite that is inflicted on the intruder. When the female olm is receptive she will approach the male and mating occurs. The female will then select her spawning area and guard it ferociously. After a couple of days the female will produce eggs or bear her young live. When eggs are produced they are attached by the female to rocks under the surface of the water and guarded by the female until they hatch. Interestingly, when the females bear young live even though they are well developed, only a few are able to survive.
