How to Slovenia
Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.
Mačja navezanost
Cat attachment
Written by Urša Adamič, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate
Mačke veljajo za bolj samostojne in manj navezane na človeka kot psi. Pa je res tako?
Cats are considered more independent and less attached to humans than dogs. Is that really so?
Nedavno objavljena raziskava se je posvetila mačkam in njihovi navezanosti na skrbnike.
A recently published study focused on cats and their attachment to their caregivers.
Izkazalo se je, da se mačke glede na izkušnje ob odraščanju lahko navadijo na življenje v samoti, v skupini ali skupaj s človekom.
As it turns out, cats can grow accustomed to living alone, in a group or together with a human, as they grow up.
Raziskovalci so do spoznanja prišli tako, da so izvedli vedenjski poskus. Mucke, stare od 3 do 8 mesecev, so skupaj z lastnikom dali v sobe, ki jih prej niso poznale.
The researchers came to the conclusion by conducting a behavioral experiment. The kittens, aged 3 to 8 months, were placed with their owners in rooms they weren’t familiar with.
Tam je vsak par mucke in lastnika dve minuti preživel skupaj, nato je lastnik odšel in mucka je ostala sama.
Each pair of kittens and owners spent two minutes together there, then the owner left and the kitten was left alone.
Po dveh minutah se je lastnik vrnil in raziskovalci so lahko opazovali mačje vedenje ob ponovni združitvi.
After two minutes, the owner returned and researchers were able to observe the cat's behavior when they were reunited.
Obstaja več načinov navezanosti.
There are several kinds of attachment.
Pri muckah so razlikovali med varno in negotovo navezanostjo.
In kittens, a distinction was made between secure and uncertain attachment.
Na podlagi iskanja telesnega stika, stresa ob odhodu lastnika in vedenja ob njegovi vrnitvi so mlade mucke razporedili v dve skupini.
Based on the search for physical contact, the stress of the owner leaving and the behaviour upon their return, the young kittens were divided into two groups.
Dobra polovica mačk je izkazala varno navezanost na človeškega lastnika.
More than half the cats showed secure attachment to their human owner.
To je zelo podobno število kot pri domačih psih in ljudeh.
This is a very similar number to that [found] for domestic dogs and humans.
Z raziskavo so tako ovrgli splošno prepričanje, da so mačke na svoje človeške prijatelje manj navezane kot psi.
The research thus disproved the general belief that cats are less attached to their human friends than dogs.
Vedenje mačke je torej odvisno od vzgoje in izkušenj iz mladosti ter podedovanih lastnosti.
The behavior of cats therefore depends on their upbringing and experience from a young age and inherited traits.
A še bolj kot mucke so na svoje ljubljenčke navezani ljudje.
But even more than kittens, people are attached to their pets.
Zaradi te močne navezanosti so se v Ameriki in na Kitajskem že razvila podjetja, ki ponujajo možnost kloniranja živali po smrti.
Due to this strong attachment, companies in America and China have already developed the possibility of cloning animals after death.
Da umetno ustvarijo novo žival, potrebujejo le nekaj celic z DNK.
They only need a few cells with DNA to artificially create a new animal.
Od leta 2015 so tako na Kitajskem klonirali že 40 psov, letos pa so klonirali tudi prvo mačko.
Since 2015, 40 dogs have been cloned in China, and this year the first cat was cloned.
Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.
Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.
Written by Katarina Bulatović, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate
Pri Krisu ni bilo vprašanje, ali pomagati, ampak kako to storiti
For Chris, it wasn't a question of helping, but of how to do it
»Še vedno ne dojamem, kaj se je zgodilo,« pravi Ana Jerak, mama devetnajstmesečnega Krisa s prirojeno mišično boleznijo.
"I still don't understand what happened," says Ana Jerak, the mother of nineteen-month-old Kris with a congenital muscular disease.
Družini je v manj kot petih dneh uspelo zbrati veliko denarja. Celo več, kot ga potrebujejo za zelo drago zdravilo, ki lahko dečku reši življenje.
The family managed to raise a lot of money in less than five days. Even more than they need for a very expensive drug that can save the boy's life.
To ne bi bilo mogoče brez pomoči številnih po vsej Sloveniji, ki so pomagali zbirati denar.
This would not have been possible without the help of many around Slovenia who helped raise money.
Eden od prvih, ki je izvedel za Krisovo zgodbo, je bil televizijski voditelj Edi Pucer. Zanjo mu je povedal Krisov nono. Sočasno so se Krisovi starši obrnili tudi na druge medije.
One of the first to find out about Kris' story was television presenter Edi Pucer. He was told by Kris's grandfather. At the same time, Kris's parents also turned to other media.
Ko so številni Slovenci izvedeli, da Kris potrebuje njihovo pomoč in da bi lahko, če bi vsi stopili skupaj in prispevali vsak en evro, dečku pomagali do zdravila, ki ga potrebuje, se je snežna kepa začela kotaliti.
When many Slovenes learned that Kris needed their help and that if they all came together and contributed one euro each, they could help the boy with the medicine he needed, the snowball began to roll.
»Čar te akcije zbiranja denarja je bil, da nikogar ni bilo treba prositi za pomoč. Mediji smo Krisovo zgodbo objavili, vsak, ki je slišal zanjo, pa je takoj hotel pomagati po svojih močeh. In tako smo skupaj dosegli nemogoče,« pravi Edi Pucer.
“The charm of this money-raising campaign was that no one had to ask for help. We released Kris's story to the media, and everyone who heard about it immediately wanted to help. And so together we have achieved the impossible, ” says Edi Pucer.
Pomagali so tudi otroci. Mnogi so rekli, da bodo prispevali svoje denarčke. Osemletni Jaka, ki ima tudi sam hude zdravstvene težave, saj ima cerebralno paralizo, pa je Krisu podaril svojo hokejsko palico Anžeta Kopitarja.
Children also helped. Many said they would contribute their own money. Eight-year-old Jaka, who also has serious health problems because of cerebral palsy, donated his hockey stick from Anz Kopitar for Chris.
Ko so ljudje izvedeli za Krisovo zgodbo, za mnoge ni bilo več vprašanje, ali pomagati, ampak kako to storiti.
When people found out about Kris's story, for many, it was no longer a question of helping, but of how to do it.
Mnogi tako sedaj poznajo Krisovo bolezen in druge redke bolezni, ki jih lahko imajo otroci.
Many now know about Kris’s disease and other rare diseases that children may have.
Slovenija je majhna država, vendar včasih je to njena prednost. Zaradi svoje majhnosti se mnogi med sabo poznajo. In potem beseda da besedo in lahko se zgodijo čudovite stvari.
Slovenia is a small country, but sometimes it is an advantage. Because of its small size, many people know each other. And then word spreads and wonderful things can happen.
Ponosni smo lahko, da znamo tudi stopiti skupaj.
We can be proud that we are able to pull together.
Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.
Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.
Ukradli ste mi sanje, ukradli ste mi otroštvo
You stole my dream, you stole my childhood
Written by Sonja Merljak Zdovc, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate
Ukradli ste mi sanje, ukradli ste mi otroštvo
Greta Thunberg je svetovne voditelje nagovorila z mešanico žalosti in jeze v glasu.
Greta Thunberg addressed world leaders with a mixture of sadness and anger in her voice.
Ti so se na podnebnem vrhu v New Yorku zbrali pred 74. zasedanjem generalne skupščine Organizacije združenih narodov.
They gathered at the New York Climate Summit before the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
»Kako si drznete! S svojimi praznimi besedami ste mi ukradli sanje, ukradli ste mi otroštvo,« je dejala s solzami v očeh.
“How dare you! You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words,” she said with tears in her eyes.
Obtožila jih je še, da so zanemarili izsledke znanstvenikov.
She also accused them of neglecting the scientists' findings.
»Smo tik pred množičnim izumrtjem, vi pa govorite samo o denarju in pripovedujete pravljice o večni gospodarski rasti. Kako si drznete!«
“We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!”
In dodala: »Če se boste odločili, da nas boste razočarali, vam ne bomo nikoli oprostili.«
She added: "If you decide to disappoint us, we will never forgive you."
Še s petnajstimi otroki je naslovila peticijo na OZN. Pozivajo k odgovornosti držav, ki najbolj prispevajo k podnebnim spremembam.
Will fifteen other children she has petitioned the UN. They are calling for the accountability of the countries that contribute most to climate change.
Greta Thunberg je pred švedskim parlamentom ob petkih vztrajala sama. Sčasoma so se Petkom za prihodnost pridružili posamezni protestniki. Že pol leta kasneje je njen protest prerasel v globalno gibanje.
Greta Thunberg protested alone in front of the Swedish Parliament on Fridays. Eventually, more individual protesters joined her Fridays for Future protests. Half a year later, her protest grew into a global movement.
Otroci in odrasli po vsem svetu se že drugič množično podajajo na ulice. Zahtevajo, naj politiki poskrbijo za prihodnost planeta.
For the second time, children and adults alike are taking to the streets en masse. They demand that politicians take care of the future of the planet.
V Sloveniji bodo spet protestirali v petek, 27. septembra, ob 11.55.
They will protest again in Slovenia on Friday, September 27 at 11:55.
Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.
Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.
Gliste iz pradavnine
Ancient worms
Written by Urša Adamič, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate
V fosiliziranem iztrebku pume, starem približno 17 tisoč let, so paleontologi odkrili ostanke najstarejšega parazita do sedaj.
In the fossilized excrement of a puma about 17,000 years old, palaeontologists have discovered the remains of the oldest parasite known to date.
Glista, katere jajčeca so našli, je danes zelo pogosta pri mačkah, psih in lisicah.
The worms, the eggs of which were found, are very common in cats, dogs and foxes today.
Dolgo so mislili, da se je na divje živali razširila z domačih, vendar to odkritje kaže, da morda ni bilo tako. V času, ko je puma izločila svoj iztrebek z jajčecami gliste, na tistem območju namreč še ni bilo ljudi, torej tudi domačih živali ne.
It has long been thought that the worms spread to wildlife from domestic animals, but this finding suggests that may not have been the case. At the time when the puma passed its faeces with the worm eggs there were no humans in the area, so no domestic animals.
Fosilizirani iztrebki se imenujejo korpoliti in ne smrdijo.
Fossilized faeces are called corpolites and do not stink.
Na prvi pogled so zelo podobni kamnu. Za znanstvenike so pomembni, ker vsebujejo molekule DNK, ki so prava zakladnica informacij.
At first look they are very similar to stone. They are important to scientists because they contain DNA molecules that are a real treasure trove of information.
Iz njih lahko razberejo veliko različnih podatkov o življenju živali in ljudi v davni preteklosti.
From them we can take a lot of different information about the lives of animals and humans in the ancient past.
Tako danes bolje razumemo, s čim se je prehranjeval tiranozaver ali kaj so imeli na jedilniku ljudje v mlajši kameni dobi v Turčiji.
Thus, today we better understand what a tyrannosaur ate or what people in the Early Stone Age in Turkey had on the menu.
Najstarejše zaporedje DNK so znanstveniki sicer izolirali iz konjske kosti, ki se je ohranila v permafrostu v zahodni Kanadi. Pripadala je vrsti divjih konj, ki so živeli pred 700 tisoč leti.
Scientists have isolated the oldest DNA sequences from horse bone preserved in permafrost in western Canada. It belonged to a kind of wild horse that lived 700,000 years ago.
DNK prvih Skandinavcev, ki so skandinavski polotok naselili pred približno 10 tisoč leti, pa so našli kar v prazgodovinski različici žvečilnih gumijev iz brezovega lubja.
The DNA of the first Scandinavians, who settled the Scandinavian peninsula about 10,000 years ago, was found in a prehistoric version of birch bark gum.
Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.
Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.
V iskanju druge Zemlje
In search of another Earth
Written by Urša Adamič, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate
Koliko Zemlji podobnih planetov in Soncu podobnih zvezd je v naši galaksiji?
How many Earth-like planets and Sun-like stars are in our galaxy?
Planeti, ki za kroženje porabijo približno toliko časa kot Zemlja in ki so obenem tudi približno enako veliki kot Zemlja, se po najnovejših ugotovitvah pojavljajo v bližini vsake četrte zvezde.
Planets that spend about as much time in orbit as the Earth, and are about the same size as the Earth, seem to appear near every fourth star, according to the latest findings.
Keplerjev vesoljski teleskop, ki danes sicer ne deluje več, je od leta 2009 v Mlečni cesti iskal Zemlji podobne planete, ki krožijo okoli zvezd, podobnih Soncu.
The Kepler space telescope, which is no longer working today, searched for Earth-like planets orbiting Sun-like stars in the Milky Way since 2009.
Astronomi so z njim opazovali več kot 530 tisoč zvezd in več kot 2,500 planetov.
Astronomers observed more than 530,000 stars and more than 2,500 planets.
Pri določanju Zemlji podobnih planetov so upoštevali dve lastnosti: velikost planeta in čas, ki ga potrebuje, da obkroži svojo zvezdo.
In determining Earth-like planets, they took into account two characteristics: the size of the planet and the time it takes to orbit its star.
Ugotovili so, da je čas kroženja Zemlji podobnih planetov od 237 do 500 dni, njihova velikost pa se giblje med tremi četrtinami ter eno in pol velikosti Zemlje.
They found that the time of orbit of Earth-like planets was 237 to 500 days, with their size ranging between three-fourths and one-half that of the Earth.
Raziskovalci so želeli bolje razumeti proces nastajanja planetov in poiskati takšne, ki bi omogočali pogoje za življenje.
Researchers wanted to better understand the process of planet formation and find those that would provide living conditions.
Še posebej so se osredotočili na iskanje biomarkerjev v njihovi atmosferi, molekul, ki bi lahko nakazovale, da je na teh planetih življenje.
They were particularly focused on finding biomarkers in their atmospheres, molecules that could indicate that life is on these planets.
»Toda raziskava življenja na eksoplanetih predstavlja zahteven izziv, za katerega bo potrebna veliko obsežnejša vesoljska misija,« meni eden od vodilnih raziskovalcev Eric B. Ford.
"But exploring life on exoplanets presents a difiicult challenge that will require a much larger space mission," says one of the leading researchers, Eric B. Ford.
Zanimanje za eksoplanete, ki so podobni Zemlji, v astronomiji ni novost. Pred dvema letoma so odkrili, da se okoli majhne zvezde Trappist-1, ki je od nas oddaljena 39 svetlobnih let, vrti sedem Zemlji podobnih planetov.
The interest in Earth-like exoplanets is not new to astronomy. Two years ago, it was discovered that seven Earth-like planets revolve around the tiny star Trappist-1, 39 light-years away.
Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.
If you live in Slovenia then you can watch cable TV with Slovenian subtitles, and if you’re outside the country then RTV Slovenia has a good website and app. You can learn about that here, although it only offers Slovenian audio and subtitles, so not ideal for beginners.
If you know how to use .srt files you can get subtitles for your video files from various places online (such as podnapisi.net), while there are also services like Putlocker, where you’re confronted with a bunch of pop-up ads for gambling, dating sites, pornography and so on, with the possibility of streaming videos along with subtitles in the language of your choice.
Another option is Moj Video, where if you search for Slovenski podnapisi (Slovenian subtitles), you can find a number of movies in English, free to watch, with subtitles to practice your vocab and grammar.
I won’t speculate as to the full legality of all aspects of the site’s operation, but will say that it’s not plagued with pop-up ads, and while the videos are rather low resolution the key point here is being able to hear the audio in English and see a fair Slovenian translation on screen at the same time. You can dig around and see what’s on offer here.
If you’re learning Slovene, then check out all our stories on dual texts here
Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.
Kako ukrotiti svoje učitelje
How to tame your teachers
Written by Katarina Bulatović, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate
V življenju boste srečali mnogo učiteljev.
You will meet many teachers in your life.
Nekatere boste oboževali: ti vas bodo navdihnili, povzdignili, veliko naučili, mogoče bodo celo vplivali na to, kaj boste postali, usedli se bodo v vaša srca.
Some you will adore: they will inspire you, elevate you, teach you a lot, they may even influence what you become, they will settle into your hearts.
Druge boste želeli poslati iz razreda: ti vas bodo naučili, kako se postaviti zase, kako krotiti jezo, kako se dokazati ali kako sprejeti nekoga, ki vam gre na živce.
You will want to send others out of the class: they will teach you how to stand up for yourself, how to temper your anger, how to prove yourself, or how to accept someone who gets on your nerves.
Naleteli boste tudi na dolgočasne, organizirane, zaskrbljene, materinske, hiperaktivne, z zdravjem obsedene učitelje in še mnoge, mnoge druge.
You will also come across boring, organised, anxious, maternal, hyperactive, health-obsessed teachers, and many, many more.
Mogoče vas bodo učili tudi taki učitelji, ki se jih kasneje sploh ne boste več spomnili.
You may also be taught by some teachers that you won’t remember at all.
Ljudje smo različni. In tako kot boste v življenju srečevali takšne in drugačne ljudi, takšne in drugačne prijatelje, sorodnike, šefe, tako boste srečali tudi takšne in drugačne učitelje. Ampak od vsakega se boste kaj naučili.
We humans are different. And just as you will meet many different people in your life, like different friends, relatives, bosses, so will you meet various teachers. But you will learn something from each.
Napotki, kako ukrotiti svojega učitelja
How to tame your teacher
Ko prideš v šolo, ga pozdravi. Majhna stvar, ki pomeni ogromno.
When you get to school, greet him. A small thing that means a lot.
Sem in tja ga malo pohvali. Takrat, ko si zasluži.
Praise him a little here and there. Just when he deserves it.
Delaj domačo nalogo. Preprosta matematika pravi: brez domače naloge = siten učitelj in dolgo predavanje o tem, kako vam domača naloga koristi, da je ne delate zanj in …; z domačo nalogo = srečen učitelj, brez predavanja.
Do your homework. Simple math says: no homework = annoying teacher and a long lecture about how your homework benefits you from working for it and…; homework = happy teacher, no lecture.
Bodi vljuden, učitelja spoštuj. Učitelj je vaš učitelj. Je nekdo, ki vas hoče nekaj naučiti, nekdo, ki vam hoče dobro, nekdo, ki vas ima rad. Če učitelj spoštuje vas, tudi vi spoštujte učitelja.
Be polite, respect the teacher. The teacher is your teacher. He is someone who wants to teach you something, someone who wants you well, someone who loves you. If the teacher respects you, you also respect the teacher.
Pogovarjaj se z učiteljem. Učitelji se radi pogovarjamo s svojimi učenci. Če česa ne razumeš, mu povej.
Talk to your teacher. Teachers like to talk to our students. If you don't understand something, tell him.
Pomagaj sošolcem. Pri učenju, pri pospravljanju, pri pridobivanju prijateljev, v žalostnih dneh … Tako boste postali pravi junaki. Meni se zdi to veliko bolj pomembno kot najboljši uspeh.
Help your classmates. When you study, when you get dressed, when you make friends, on sad days ... You will become a real hero. I find this much more important than the greatest success.
Tako, dragi moji, boste odlično začeli svoje leto. Vse je lažje, če se razumete z učiteljem. Če mu zaupate, če ga spoštujete. In če boste vi spoštovali učitelja, bo tudi on spoštoval vas.
So, my dear, you will have a great start to your year. It's easier to get along with your teacher. If you trust him, if you respect him. And if you respect the teacher, he will respect you too.
In veste kaj?
And you know what?
Učitelj bo ukročen.
The teacher will be tamed.
Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.
Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.
Največji gozd na svetu izginja v plamenih
The world's largest forest is disappearing in flames
Written by Katarina Bulatović, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate
Mladi za podnebno pravičnost se bodo popoldan zbrali pred brazilskim veleposlaništvom v Ljubljani.
Young People for Climate Justice will gather in the afternoon at the Brazilian Embassy in Ljubljana.
Protestirali bodo, ker menijo, da v Braziliji ne storijo dovolj, da bi zamejili požare v amazonskem pragozdu.
They will protest because they believe they are not doing enough in Brazil to contain fires in the Amazon forest.
Protesti so potekali tudi v Londonu, Amsterdamu, Dublinu. Finska je celo pozvala k prepovedi uvoza mesa iz Brazilije.
Protests have also taken place in London, Amsterdam, Dublin. Finland has even called for a ban on meat imports from Brazil.
Zakaj?
Why?
V amazonskem pragozdu že več dni zelo gori. Ogenj in gost dim sta vidna celo iz vesolja.
It has been burning in the Amazon for several days. Fire and dense smoke are visible even from outer space.
Amazonski pragozd je pol velik kot Evropa in je največji tropski pragozd na svetu.
The Amazon forest is as big as Europe, and is the largest tropical forest in the world.
Po podatkih brazilskega raziskovalnega inštituta INPE je bilo letos v pragozdu okoli 72 tisoč požarov, kar je 84 odstotkov več kot lani.
According to the Brazilian research institute INPE, there were about 72,000 fires in the primeval forest this year, 84 percent more than last year.
»Požari so posledica krčenja gozda v zadnjih mesecih,« je za BBC pojasnil okoljevarstvenik Ricardo Mello iz Svetovnega sklada za naravo (WWF).
"The fires are the result of deforestation in recent months," the environmentalist Ricardo Mello of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) told the BBC.
Brazilski predsednik Jair Bolsonara je za tuje medije sicer dejal, da je zelo verjetno, da so požare podtaknile nevladne organizacije.
The Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, however, told foreign media that it is highly likely that the fires were started by NGOs.
A te pravijo, da je za požare odgovoren prav Bolsonara. Novi brazilski predsednik je dovolil, da pragozd izsekavajo bolj kot kdajkoli prej. S tem je omogočil več denarja gozdarstvu in kmetijstvu, a škodil naravi.
But they [the NGOs] say that Bolsonaro is responsible for the fires. The new Brazilian president has allowed more deforestation than ever. This means more money for forestry and agriculture, but harms nature.
Amazonski pragozd zagotavlja skoraj 10 odstotkov kisika, ki ga potrebujemo za življenje. Ustvarjajo ga drevesa, ki vsrkavajo tudi ogljikov dioksid iz ozračja in s tem zmanjšujejo segrevanje Zemlje.
The Amazon rainforest provides nearly 10% of the oxygen we need for life. It is created by trees that also absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thereby reducing the warming of the Earth.
Pragozd je še pomemben, ker nudi dom več kot trem milijonom živalskih vrst in rastlin.
The forest is even more important because it provides a home to over three million animal species and plants.
Kaj lahko ti narediš, da bodo gozdove čim manj izsekavali?
What can you do to minimize deforestation?
Varčuj pri porabi energije in pazljivo izbirajo živila. Brazilski kmetje naj bi pragozd krčili ravno zato, da dobijo površine za pridelavo hrane oziroma za pašo govedi.
Save energy and choose foods carefully. Brazilian farmers are said to have carried out deforestation in order to obtain areas for food production or the grazing of cattle.
Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.
August 23, 2019
Recently a hiker was bitten by a snake when she attempted to grab it. Apparently, she did so believing there were no poisonous snakes in Slovenia.
There are eleven species of snakes living in Slovenia, three of which are equipped with a venom delivery mechanisms and a fourth is considered as half poisonous, since its fangs are placed in the back of its mouth, meaning it can only deliver venom to its prey while in the process of swallowing, and is therefore not dangerous to humans.
A snake bite is rarely fatal, but has to be taken very seriously. No deaths have been recorded as a consequence of a snake bite since Slovenian independence, perhaps because in critical situations people receive the medical attention they need.
What to do in case you get bitten by a snake
Snakes are generally fearful animals and will retreat if they sense our presence. They only attack if they feel threatened, and sometimes prefer to escape rather than bite even if they are being stepped on. Their fangs are 2-4.5 mm long, which means that boots and even thicker clothing can prevent them from penetrating the skin.
Dotted fang wounds that could bleed a little or not at all are 0.6- 1 cm apart, although in a 2015 case of a horn viper biting through a tracksuit, the fang marks were an unexpected 1.5cm apart from each other. Swelling and pain occur around the wound and the skin turns blue and red along the lymphatic vessels, while local lymphatic nodes swell.
In some cases signs of general poisoning can occur, with nausea, chills, dizziness, rapid breathing and heartbeat, and even shock, although these are extremely rare with Slovenian snake bites.
If you get bitten, it is important to stay calm and lie down or adopt a semi-seated position on the ground and call the general emergency number 112. If possible, take a picture of the snake that bit you, though the medical procedures and even the antidote are the same for the bites of all three poisonous snakes found in Slovenia. If you can, cover the wound with a sterile gauze and immobilize it if possible, but do not cut or suck on the wound.
Slovenia’s poisonous snakes: Nose-horned viper, European adder and European asp
All three species of Slovenian venomous snakes belong to the family of vipers: Vipera ammodytes or a nose-horned viper (modras); Viperra aspis or an European asp (Slo: laški gad); and Vipera berus or a common European adder (navadni gad). All three are characterised by their thick bodies and short tails (with the same width of a body a non-venomous snake would usually be much longer than a viper), triangular head that is quite distinct from the neck, and vertical pupil slit, similar to cats. Slovenian vipers often have a distinctive singular or double zigzag pattern on their backs, but sometimes it disintegrates into undefined lines or completely disappears in darker to black specimens. The easiest of the three to recognise is the nose-Horned viper or modras, with its distinctive horn at the tip of its nose.
Venom comparisons:
| Snake species | lethal dose | injected amount of venom per bite |
| Cobra (Naja naja) | 15 mg | 210 mg |
| Black mamba | 120 mg | 1000 mg |
| Nose-horned viper | 75 mg | 20 mg |
| European adder | 75 mg | 10 mg |
Slovenia’s half- and non-poisonous snakes
An interesting species of snake that hasn’t been recorded since the mid-1990s is the so called European cat snake or Telescopus fallax (Slo: kačjeoka kača, also črnostrel). Although Telesocpus is in fact equipped with venom, its fangs are placed so deep in the back of its mouth that it can only inject it while already swallowing its prey. The European cat snake is therefore not dangerous to humans or any other large animals.
Non-venomous snakes can sometimes resemble venomous ones, which is unfortunate, as people scare them away from their gardens, where they should have been most welcome. Entirely without venom are:
August 22, 2019
Recently, a new two-lane roundabout between Šenčur and Kranj (also Kranj highway exit) has been completed, and many aren't quite sure what rules govern it, since most of the roundabouts in Slovenia are simple one-lane ones.
The police directorate in Kranj therefore issued an explanatory video on the options a driver has depending on their point of entrance.
Since the video is in Slovenian, it might make more sense if keeping the following rules in mind: vehicles already in the roundabout have the right of way. Changing lanes inside the roundabout is not allowed. It is therefore very important to take the right entrance lane before entering this rotary intersection.
Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.
Janja Garnbret Prva Plezalka S Petimi Zlatimi Medaljami
Janja Garnbret First Climber With Five Gold Medals
Written by Katarina Bulatović, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate
»Nepredstavljivo je, kaj mi je uspelo v tej sezoni,« je dejala Janja Garnbret.
“It is inconceivable what I have achieved this season,” said Janja Garnbret.
Svetovna prvakinja je postala še v težavnostnem plezanju.
The World Champion became even more confident in climbing.
Uspešna je bila tudi Mia Krampl, ki je dosegla drugo mesto.
Mia Krampl was also successful, finishing second.
Že dva dni prej je Janja Garnbret navijače razveselila z osvojitvijo zlate kolajne v balvanskem plezanju.
Two days earlier, Janja Garnbret had already been cheered by fans for the gold medal in bouldering.
V tej disciplini je kot prva športnica na svetu drugič zapored ubranila naslov svetovne prvakinje.
In this discipline, she is the first athlete in the world to defend the title of world champions for the second time.
»Oba naslova mi res veliko, veliko pomenita in res sem vesela, da sem obdržala mirno glavo,« je po osvojitvi naslova dejala plezalka.
"Both titles really mean a lot to me, and I'm really happy to keep my head calm," said the climber after winning the title.
»Jaz samo uživam in plezam tako, kot znam,« je po osvojitvi dveh zlatih medalj na Japonskem dejala mlada Korošica.
"I just enjoy the climb as I know it," said the young girl from Korošica after winning two gold medals in Japan.
Jutri se bo potegovala še za tretje odličje na tem prvenstvu.
Tomorrow she will compete for a third in this championship.
V nedeljo se je že uvrstila tudi na olimpijske igre, ki bodo prihodnje leto v Tokiu.
On Sunday she also made it to the Olympics, which will be in Tokyo next year
Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.
