Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones face off against a cobra snake in Raiders of the Lost Ark. his distaste for snakes was second only to his hatred of the Nazis, but Harrison Ford has now named a new species of snake after him.
The snake was found by researchers in alpine meadows in the mountains of Peru.< /p>
He was named Tachymenoides harrisonfordi after the actor in honor of his work as an environmentalist and his role as vice chairman of Conservation International.
Indiana Jones's phobia of snakes has been a running gag in the movies. “Snakes. Why does it have to be snakes? he says as he surveys the reptile-infested floor in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
But Ford himself is passionate about conservation and has often said how much he loves snakes, especially the species named after him.
Harrison Ford, pictured in May 2023, often said how much he loves snakes
“The snake has eyes to drown in and spends most of the day sunbathing by a pool of dirty water—we probably would have been friends in the early 60s,” the Hollywood legend said in a typically dry remark.
“Seriously, this discovery is humiliating. It is a reminder that there is still so much to be learned about our wild world, and that humans are only a small part of an incredibly vast biosphere.
“Destinies are intertwined on this planet, and right now a million species are teetering on the brink of oblivion. We have an existential mandate to repair our broken relationship with nature and protect the places that support life.”
«These scientists keep naming creatures after me.»
This is not the first time a newly discovered animal has been named after Ford. In 1993, a new species of Californian spider was named after him, and a decade later, an ant was named after him.
«These scientists keep naming critters after me, but it's always the ones that terrify children.» , he told Conservation International. «I don't understand. I spend my free time cross-stitching. I sing lullabies to my basilicas so that they won't be afraid of the night.»
Tachymenoides harrisonfordi snake species
This species was found in the Otichi National Park in central Peru, where habitat ranges from rainforest and swamps to meadows and mountain slopes.
When fully grown, Tachymenoides harrisonfordi grows to only 16 inches in length and is harmless to humans. Copper-colored and well camouflaged for its grazing habitat, it preys on frogs and lizards.
The American and Peruvian scientists who discovered it were hunted down and watched by drug traffickers as they roamed the dangerous region known as «Peru's cocaine valley».
At some point, the researchers discovered that they had set up their camp . next to a secret drug cartel airstrip. One morning they found fresh footprints around the perimeter of their camp and spotted a drone buzzing overhead watching them.
After 11 days, fearing for their safety, the scientists decided they needed to leave, ending their expedition a week ahead of schedule. They were evacuated by a Peruvian Air Force helicopter.
«Was it worth it?» said biology professor Edgar Lehr of Illinois Wesleyan University, who led the expedition. «Yes, the discovery of new species, including the Harrison Ford snake, is always worth it.»
Scientists hope that the name of the new snake will draw attention to the dangers faced by reptiles and many other species of wildlife. the planet is reversed.
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