Harrison Ford : “In all seriousness, this discovery is humbling”
Who knew Harrison Ford saying that line in 1984’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark” would involve a new zoological discovery?
A new species of snake found in the Andes Mountains in Peru has been named after the actor.
The Tachymenoides harrisonfordi is described as a snake that “measures 16 inches long” and “is pale yellowish-brown with scattered black blotches, a black belly and a vertical streak over his copper-colored eye, making it well-camouflaged to the surrounding environment.”
This is not the first time Harrison Ford has had his name connected to a newly discovered creature. Others named after Ford include an ant (Pheidole harrisonfordi) and a spider (Calponia harrisonfordi).
But what makes this story so unique is the connection to central Illinois and Illinois Wesleyan University.
IWU Professor of Biology Edgar Lehr and a team of Peruvian biologists discovered the new snake species during an expedition to Peru in May 2022. The black-bellied reptile with copper eyes was found sunbathing in a swamp in Otishi National Park, more than 10,000 feet above sea level.
“The snake was a big surprise as we did not expect to find a snake in a high elevational swamp,” said Lehr. He added that it is rare for new species of snakes to be discovered, with the closest related snake named in 1896
“Every new species is exciting, and it’s important to name it because only the organisms that are known can be protected. We hope that the publication of the new snake species will create awareness of the importance of biodiversity research and the importance of protecting nature,” he said.
After Lehr’s team agreed upon the name, the dedication was accepted by Harrison Ford himself.
“These scientists keep naming critters after me, but it’s always the ones that terrify children. 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,” said Ford to The Hollywood Reporter. “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. 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.”
The snake’s name was announced in a publication of the journal “Salamandra” on Aug. 15.
Harrison Ford has served on the board of Conservation International for more than 10 years and has donated many acres of his property in Wyoming, for a conservation easement to the Jackson Hole Land Trust.
Since Lehr began research in Peru in 1997, he has contributed to the discovery of more than 100 species of reptiles and amphibians.
Susan Saunders 8/15/23 (yeah, I still don’t like snakes either)
