Hollywood-icon Harrison Ford is known for many things. His role as Han Solo in Star Wars, his all-American portrayal of Tom Clancy’s iconic Jack Ryan and, of course, as the rugged archeologist-turned-treasure hunter Indiana Jones. For anyone who grew up in the 1980s and ’90s, Ford’s Indiana Jones was a formative icon, and one thing we all know about Dr. Jones is that he hated snakes.
Therefore, it seems rather bizarre then that this week, scientists in Peru have discovered a new species of snake and named it after Harrison Ford in recognition of the actor’s support of conservation work.
The approx 50cm-long reptile was first discovered in May 2022 in Peru’s Otishi National Park, but it was not until this week 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, and has been given the scientific name Tachymenoides harrisonfordi.
Scientists from major institutions, including the University of Michigan, the Natural History Museum in Lima, and Louisiana State University, collaborated on the research and identification of the new species. The details about the discovery have been published in the Journal of Herpetology.
The species was named after Harrison Ford to acknowledge his significant contributions to conservation and environmental causes. Ford is a board member of Conservation International, a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to protecting nature.
The announcement of the new species comes as part of a broader initiative to document the biodiversity of the Andes and Amazon regions, which are home to a multitude of unique species. Scientists hope that the discovery will highlight the importance of conserving these biodiversity-rich areas.
Banner photo credit: Harrison Ford, shot for Esquire by Ruven Afanador