Leonardo DiCaprio names newly discovered snake species after special someone

Leonardo DiCaprio, an Oscar-winning movie star, has named a newly discovered species of snake. He has reportedly named the snake after his “favorite woman” - his mom.

The new species

The snake, found in the Panamanian jungle, has been named Simon Irmelindicaprioae in honor of his mother, Irmelin Indenbirken, Yahoo News reported last week.

The species is of a snail-eating variety and is thought to be endangered and extremely rare. The tree-dwelling species is native to the largely unexplored, dense Chocó-Darién jungle and is one of the three newly discovered snake species to have been named in recent weeks.

The species came under particular danger during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the establishment of a large number of gold and copper mines that destroyed their environment. The species requires a grassy terrain to live and hunt as they exclusively feed on snails and slugs.

A park ranger told Newswise: “Sure, it is illegal and out of control, but the authorities are too afraid to intervene, miners are just too violent and unpredictable.”

The ranger also explained that people were able to gain a year’s salary in a matter of weeks through illegal mining. According to Minimum-wage.org, the minimum hourly wage in Panama ranges from 1.22 to 2.36 Panamanian balboas – which is between $1.22 to $2.36 dollars.

DiCaprio's special women

While the 48-year-old actor's tribute to his mom may be heartwarming,  in recent months, people in online spaces have voiced criticism of the way DiCaprio is rumored to treat other women in his life. 

It has been reported that despite the actor’s comparatively age, he has never dated a woman over the age of 25.

Entertainment news site KoiMoi has claimed that rumors emerged stating that the actor picks fights with his girlfriends in the months leading up to their 25th birthday so that he can make an easier escape. The Guardian described his dating proclivities as a “major red flag.”

The Guardian also reported that the phenomena of having an upper age limit significantly below your own age has been dubbed “Leo’s law” after the actor.