But the highlight of the trip to South America was discovering a species of snake new to science, which the team named for action icon Harrison Ford — a moment of levity in an otherwise dramatic excursion, noted Dr. Edgar Lehr, the lead author of a scientific paper describing the snake species. At the time, Lehr, who is a professor of biology at Illinois Wesleyan University, thought: “Wouldn’t this be cool to dedicate this new species to Harrison Ford? The national park is near “the VRAEM (Valley of Rivers Apurímac, Ene, Mantaro) area, which is the center of Peru‘s coca production and narco-trafficking,” according to the study. Otishi is considered “Peru‘s least scientifically surveyed national park,” according to the study. “This is very important (work), because we can only protect what is known,” Lehr said of documenting species new to scientists.

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Persons: Harrison Ford —, Edgar Lehr, Lehr, Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones ’, Harrison, — Juan Carlos Cusi, Ricardo Vera, Maura Fernandez, Otishi, ” Lehr, “, ”, Ford, Indiana Jones, Tachymenoides, ” Ford Organizations: CNN, Illinois Wesleyan University, Historia, US Department of State, Embassy, Conservation, “ Locations: South America, Peruvian, Peru, Lima —, Peru’s Junín, Cusco, Rivers Apurímac, Mantaro, Embassy of Peru, Washington , DC