The Gila Monster

Keith hastily took this photo of our visiting Gila monster.



During a recent visit, my father spied what he excitedly described to me as a "huge red and black lizard," moseying around our front yard.  I instantly knew what it was, and dashed outside to see it.  We've lived in Arizona for 3 1/2 years now and haven't seen a Gila monster in the wild.  Right after we moved in, our neighbors told us that they had seen one crawling along their courtyard fence wall.  Keith and I have been on the lookout ever since, hoping to see the rare creature around our lot.  That day, about a week ago, was the day! 

Our Gila stretched about two feet from head to tail.  He moved more quickly than I'd imagined, ducking into squirrel holes to check out possible lunch and emerging on the surface to continue his search.   We all watched him from a distance and simply enjoyed the pleasure of viewing this colorful animal in his natural habitat.

Gila monsters are one of only two venomous species of lizards in the world.  Both species are found in the New World, with the second indigenous to Mexico.  These lizards have a tenacious bite--once they've got you they don't want to let go.   They will continue to bite down to inject their venom in the victim until it is dead.  They feed mainly on baby mammals, bird eggs, hatchlings, other lizards, and snakes.  They store fat in their heavy, stout tails.  This fat sustains them throughout the winter when they hibernate in their underground burrow.  The summer season is mating season, and eggs laid by the female Gila will over-winter, hatching the following spring.  Some scientists estimate that Gila monsters spend as much as 98% of their life underground.  To see one above ground in mid-summer is a treat!

Gila monsters are protected by law.  It is illegal to kill, collect, or sell one in Arizona.