Newly-discovered snake species gets named after Leonardo DiCaprio — here’s the reason why

Leonardo DiCaprio is simply a snake.

A recently discovered type of a toothy snake successful nan Western Himalayas has been named successful nan actor’s honor, according to an “ongoing study” published successful nan diary Nature connected Oct. 21.

When scientists analyzed nan snakes’ DNA, they discovered that though it had acquainted characteristics of different snakes, it turned retired to beryllium an wholly caller species: Anguiculus dicaprioi, aliases DiCaprio’s Himalayan snake.

Scientists who discovered nan type of copper-colored snakes pinch dozens of teeth named nan type aft DiCaprio, 49, because nan “American actor, movie producer, and environmentalist [is someone] who has been actively progressive successful creating consciousness astir world ambiance alteration (and) accrued biodiversity loss,” researchers said.

DiCaprio’s snakes are a magnitude of conscionable 22 inches, which is considered small, pinch “short” heads, “large” nostrils, galore teeth, and a “steeply domed snout.” They person a “faint” grey band, which looks for illustration a “collar” astir its neck.

The snake was recovered “basking” connected nan muddy upland and “remained motionless until caught and made nary attempts to bite.” Experts judge nan snake tin past elevations up to 6,100 feet.

Scientists initially recovered nan type backmost successful 2020, and truthful acold it has only been seen successful Nepal and India’s Himachal Pradesh region, according to nan findings.

DiCaprio sewage into environmentalism erstwhile he was a boy, telling People successful 2016: “At a young age, I was very saddened by type that had go extinct by nan consequence of man-made activity, and truthful that led maine connected a agelong benignant of travel to get maine progressive successful biology issues.”

He recalled gathering pinch erstwhile Vice President Al Gore successful his early 20s to travel up pinch a plan.

“He sat maine down, drew a image of nan planet, drew our atmosphere, and said, ‘This Is nan astir important situation facing humanity,’ and from that constituent on, I really go not only fascinated pinch nan rumor but really concerned why we arsenic a corporate world organization haven’t done capable astir it,” DiCaprio said astatine nan time.

The “Titanic” prima started nan Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation successful 1998, which “supports complete 35 innovative conservation projects astir nan world that protect vulnerable ecosystems and cardinal species.”