Researchers from Peru and the U.S. reportedly discovered a new snake species that measures nearly 16 inches long and named it Tachymenoides harrisonfordi, after famous actor Harrison Ford.
The famous “Indiana Jones” actor commented on this new honor during a recent interview.
“These scientists keep naming critters after me, but it’s always the ones that terrify children,” Ford quipped, according to Conservation International, where Ford holds a seat as the vice chair.
Harrison Ford Inspires Name for Newly Discovered Snake Species https://t.co/yg2tkoTlqU
— People (@people) August 15, 2023
The nonprofit organization found the new slender snake species in the Andes Mountains in Peru, per Conservation International. The researchers said they decided on naming the snake after Ford as a way to honor and acknowledge Ford’s efforts in advocating for the improvement of the environment.
Ford joked about how children might be scared of him if his name is associated with this new snake species.
“I don’t understand. I spend my free time cross-stitching. I sing lullabies to my basil plants, so they won’t fear the night,” Ford joked, according to People.
“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,” the actor said. (RELATED: Nicolas Cage Says Eating Bugs Could Solve ‘World Starvation)
“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,” Ford said.
The snake is two-toned, with a yellowish brown color on top of it’s body and a black belly. The snake also has a vertical streak over its eye. It is easily camouflaged in a natural environment, per People. Ford also has an ant called the Pheidole harrisonfordi and a spider identified as a Calponia harrisonfordi named after him.