Newly-discovered snake species gets named after Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio is a snake.

A newly discovered species of a toothy snake in the Western Himalayas has been named in the actor’s honor, according to an “ongoing study” published in the journal Nature on Oct. 21.

When scientists analyzed the snakes’ DNA, they discovered that although it had familiar characteristics of other snakes, it turned out to be an entirely new species: Anguiculus dicaprioi, or DiCaprio’s Himalayan snake.

Scientists who discovered the species of copper-colored snakes with dozens of teeth named the species after DiCaprio, 49, because the “American actor, film producer, and environmentalist [is someone] who has been actively involved in creating awareness about global climate change (and) increased biodiversity loss,” researchers said.

DiCaprio’s snakes are a length of just 22 inches, which is considered small, with “short” heads, “large” nostrils, many teeth, and a “steeply domed snout.” They have a “faint” gray band, which looks like a “collar” around its neck.

The snake was found “basking” on the muddy mountain and “remained motionless until caught and made no attempts to bite.” Experts believe the snake can survive elevations up to 6,100 feet.

Scientists initially found the species back in 2020, and so far it has only been seen in Nepal and India’s Himachal Pradesh region, according to the findings.

DiCaprio got into environmentalism when he was a boy, telling People in 2016: “At a young age, I was very saddened by species that had become extinct by the result of man-made activity, and so that led me on a long sort of journey to get me involved in environmental issues.”

He recalled meeting with former Vice President Al Gore in his early 20s to come up with a plan.

“He sat me down, drew a picture of the planet, drew our atmosphere, and said, ‘This Is the most important crisis facing humanity,’ and from that point on, I really become not only fascinated with the issue but really concerned why we as a collective world community haven’t done enough about it,” DiCaprio said at the time.

The “Titanic” star started the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998, which “supports over 35 innovative conservation projects around the world that protect fragile ecosystems and key species.”