‘Why’d it have to be snakes?’ – New species of serpent named after Harrison Ford
The Indiana Jones star, unlike the whip-wielding archaeologist he portrays, is reportedly a fan of the slithering reptiles.
Wednesday 16 August 2023 05:17, UK
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A new species of snake has been named after Harrison Ford.
The reptile, known scientifically as Tachymenoides harrisonfordi, was found in Peru.
It has been named after Ford to honour the veteran actor’s environmental work.
Ford, who is vice chair of non-profit group Conservation International, said it was “humbling”.
“The snake’s got eyes you can drown in, and he spends most of the day sunning himself by a pool of dirty water – we probably would’ve been friends in the early ’60s,” the Star Wars star told Conservation International.
“In all seriousness, this discovery is humbling.
“It’s a reminder that there’s still so much to learn about our wild world – and that humans are one small part of an impossibly vast biosphere.
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“On this planet, all fates are intertwined, and right now, one million species are teetering on the edge of oblivion.
“We have an existential mandate to mend our broken relationship with nature and protect the places that sustain life.”
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Unlike Indiana Jones, Ford is reportedly a fan of snakes, and the keen conservationist also has a spider – Calponia harrisonfordi – and a species of ant – Pheidole harrisonfordi – named after him.
The discovery of the new snake species is a joint collaboration between researchers from Peru and the United States and was made in Peru’s Otishi National Park.
Tachymenoides harrisonfordi is a small, slender snake, measuring just 16 inches fully grown.
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It is well-camouflaged but harmless to humans, with a diet consisting of lizards and frogs.
Edgar Lehr, the biologist who led the expedition that discovered the snake, said: “Discovering a new species, naming it, and introducing it to the world is a beautiful and necessary activity.
“With the name, we want to honour Harrison Ford as an actor and conservationist, and we hope to create awareness that there are remote areas in the world left where we do not know its species.
“Only species that are known can be protected.”
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