Waiting Time For Scientists Now Over As Rare ‘Dragon Eggs’ Are Hatched

After a long time of waiting, eggs of animals quite similar to the dragons we read on legends were finally hatched.

In Slovenia, cave-dwelling olm salamanders are as fascinating as the dragons we see on books.  Eggs of the said animals were hatched after four months in a cave in southwestern Slovenia. It is considered a scientific breakthrough as no one had ever witnessed olm eggs getting hatched outside a laboratory setting.

In a press release issued by the officials of the Postajna Cave Park in Slovenia, they said: "Our first dragon literally shot itself out of the egg in a single attempt...We took care of the eggs non-stop, observing them, connecting scientific findings with our own experience."

Of the 64 eggs laid, about half of 23 were the ones seen to be viable, and the first two of these were the ones that hatched last week. In interview with ABC News, one the researchers said, "They're believed to be able to live 100 years or longer, and they can survive without food for up to 10 years."

In observing this set of eggs, the biologists assigned used infrared cameras in order to observe the female olm and her eggs. This ensured that the female olm would not be disturbed. They would also visit the caves thrice a day in order to keep track of the eggs' development. There is also a live streaming of what is happening inside the cave so the team of researchers would not miss anything from the process of hatching.

Olms' lifespan can reach up to 100 years, but can only produce eggs once every decade. They usually live in deep caves, which are normally not accessible to most researchers. The earliest documentation and research of olms can be traced back to the 17^th century when one local thought that the animal was a dragon.