100 Day Project Day 13 (Olm)
13/100 of #TashIllustrates100Animals is the olm!
The olm comes from ancient salamanders and diverged to become their own evolutionally distinct species when birds started to evolve into the modern versions we know today, around 110 million years ago. They’re the only cave dwelling vertebrate in Europe and can go without food for up to 10 years!
The olm is totally blind so it relies on its other senses which are heightened to get around and find prey. They’re also known as the “human fish” due to their colouration - though some dark coloured olms which are a separate subspecies have been found too!
The olm comes from ancient salamanders and diverged to become their own evolutionally distinct species when birds started to evolve into the modern versions we know today, around 110 million years ago. They’re the only cave dwelling vertebrate in Europe and can go without food for up to 10 years!
The olm is totally blind so it relies on its other senses which are heightened to get around and find prey. They’re also known as the “human fish” due to their colouration - though some dark coloured olms which are a separate subspecies have been found too!