The world needs more olms

I never ever heard of the blind cave salamanders of Slovenia, called olms, until I read this article.  They're also called baby dragons.  But now I'm hoping that the eggs described in the article survive to hatch successfully.

I learned a lot quickly - they are in the genus Proteus, and there aren't any other animals in that genus.  And they are only found in a few select caves in Slovenia.

So here's the articles, first found via Twitter, then in the inimitable Daily Mail. The latter is better illustrated.

Scientists await rare birth of 'baby dragons' in Slovenian cave


Slovenian 'dragons' begin to stir: Ancient cave-dwelling olm salamander lays eggs for first time in three years