EAustralia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland, is celebrating Steve Irwin Day on November 15 to honor his owner's life. Crocodile Hunter. This year there were more reasons to celebrate than usual. A week earlier, researchers from the University of Pondicherry in India announced the discovery of a new species of snake, named after the late conservationist and artist: Lycodon Irvine.
“His passion and dedication to wildlife education and conservation has inspired naturalists and conservationists around the world, including the authors of the paper,” researchers wrote in a study published in Evolutionary systematics.
Read more: “Snakes break all the rules»
Discovered in the Nicobar Islands, a tiny archipelago dotting the border between the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. L. Irwiny – a species of wolf snake, a genus common in Southeast Asia. Researchers described the snake, found in a poorly studied area rich in biodiversity, as “glossy black” in appearance with a cream-colored crest running down the sides of its belly. Like other wolf snakes, L. Irwiny It is non-venomous and probably feeds on small reptiles, mammals and amphibians.
This is not the first animal species named after Irwin. Humorously named Screams of Stiveirwinismall snail breathing air and still IrwinA a rare freshwater turtle that also bears his name. Although much is still unknown about L. Irwinythe study authors suggest that it is endangered. So, as always, anyone who encounters a reptile should follow Irwin's number one rule: don't mess with it.
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Lead Image: Naveen, RS, and others. Evolutionary systematics (2025).
