New species of snake found in Peru named after Harrison Ford

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This handout picture released by Edgar Lehr Press shows a Tachymenoides harrisonfordi snake at the Otishi National Park in Peru on May 22, 2022. In a jungle reserve in Peru, scientists discovered Harrison Ford sunbathing, a new species of snake named after the American actor and his environmental activism, the National University of San Marcos reported on Tuesday August 15, 2023. Tachymenoides harrisonfordi, the scientific name for the 40-centimeter reptile, was found basking “in puna montane grasslands of Otishi National Park, at an altitude of 3,248 meters,” the academic institution said. (Photo by Edgar LEHR / Edgar Lehr Press / AFP)
This handout picture released by Edgar Lehr Press shows a Tachymenoides harrisonfordi snake at the Otishi National Park in Peru on May 22, 2022. In a jungle reserve in Peru, scientists discovered Harrison Ford sunbathing, a new species of snake named after the American actor and his environmental activism, the National University of San Marcos reported on Tuesday August 15, 2023. Tachymenoides harrisonfordi, the scientific name for the 40-centimeter reptile, was found basking “in puna montane grasslands of Otishi National Park, at an altitude of 3,248 meters,” the academic institution said. (Photo by Edgar LEHR / Edgar Lehr Press / AFP)

Scientists working in Peru have named a new species of snake after Harrison Ford in honor of the “Indiana Jones” actor’s support for conservation work.

The 40 cm (16 inch) reptile was first discovered in May 2022 in the jungle mountains of Otishi National Park, San Marcos National University said Wednesday.

But it was not until now that researchers concluded it was indeed a previously unknown species.

This creature is a yellowish-brown color, with black spots, a black belly and copper eyes.

It has been given the scientific name Tachymenoides harrisonfordi.

The snake was first found by a team led by Edgar Lehr, a US-German biologist.

This handout picture released by Edgar Lehr Press shows the area where a Tachymenoides harrisonfordi snake was found at the Otishi National Park in Peru on May 22, 2022. In a jungle reserve in Peru, scientists discovered Harrison Ford sunbathing, a new species of snake named after the American actor and his environmental activism, the National University of San Marcos reported on Tuesday August 15, 2023. Tachymenoides harrisonfordi, the scientific name for the 40-centimeter reptile, was found basking “in puna montane grasslands of Otishi National Park, at an altitude of 3,248 meters,” the academic institution said. (Photo by Edgar LEHR / Edgar Lehr Press / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / EDGAR LEHR PRESS / EDGAR LEHR” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

It is now named after Ford because he is active in environmental issues, Lehr told AFP from the state of Illinois.

“I found out that Harrison Ford agreed to have his name used via a consultation that Conservation International made”, he added, referring to an NGO.

He said the snake was discovered in an area that is only accessible by helicopter.

“It took us seven days to find it,” said Lehr.

The snake is harmless to adult humans but it is good at hunting toads and lizards, he added.

Lehr led a team of researchers from San Marcos National University, Florida International University and Illinois Wesleyan University.

Salamandra, the German Journal of Herpetology, published on Tuesday a study on the discovery of the snake.