In Slovenia, a special event is underway. Rare olm salamanders, also known as "the human fish" and "baby dragons," are hatching in Postojna Cave.
So far, three have hatched in the cave's special aquarium, the latest on June 4.
They don't look exactly like dragons, but they do look similar enough that locals thought they might be dragon offspring — and avoided their caves out of fear of meeting their larger parents.
Fire-breathing or not, the olm salamander is a species unlike any other. Here's what sets them apart:
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Slovenia's "baby dragons" are most famously found in Postojna Cave, just east of Italy's northeastern border.
Scientists aren't exactly sure how many eggs a single female olm lays throughout her lifetime, though they estimate that it could be hundreds. But only two of those embryos are likely to survive to adulthood.
Source: Postojna Cave
In the current clutch of 64 eggs, biologists think that only 22 are likely to hatch — and no one knows how many will survive in the long term.
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