Robert Irwin Reveals Snake Error in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’: ‘I Never Noticed This Until Now’

Renowned zookeeper Robert Irwin has uncovered a surprising truth about the much-feared snake pit scene in the iconic 1981 film "Raiders of the Lost Ark." While examining footage from the movie, Irwin confidently identified the creatures in the scene as legless lizards, not snakes. Speaking to GQ, Irwin explained that he noticed the reptiles during a recent viewing of the film and remarked, "Oh, this is interesting."

He went on to provide a detailed explanation as to why the creatures were actually legless lizards, stating that true snakes do not possess ears, yet the reptiles in the scene clearly have ear-like structures at the back of their heads. Irwin emphasized that the legless lizards, despite lacking legs, are still a type of lizard that has evolved in this manner.

Spielberg initially had 2,000 real snakes on set for the snake pit scene, but ultimately enlisted the help of reptile handlers to bring in between 6,000 and 10,000 snakes to fulfill his vision. The snake-filled Well of Souls scene became a significant and talked-about moment in the movie, as Harrison Ford's character, Indiana Jones, and Karen Allen's character, Marion Ravenwood, encountered the creatures during a perilous moment in the film.

Spielberg later admitted that filming this sequence was the scariest part of making the movie, but he defended his decision to increase the number of snakes used in the production.