ScienceGrade 2nd· Meet the Gila Monster: Nature's Coolest Lizard

Meet the Gila Monster: Nature's Coolest Lizard

Words to Know

Gila Monster: A slow, bumpy lizard from the desert — one of the few venomous lizards!; The Gila Monster lives in the Arizona desert!
Desert: A hot, dry place with very little rain; Gila Monsters hide under rocks in the desert!
Osteoderms: Tiny bones in the skin — like built-in armor; The Gila Monster's osteoderms make it look beady!
Venom: A special liquid some animals make to protect themselves; Gila Monster venom is being studied for medicine!
Fat tail: A tail that stores food energy for months; The Gila Monster's fat tail is like a lunchbox!
Protected: When a law keeps an animal safe from being taken; Gila Monsters are protected — you can't take them home!

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What does “Gila Monster” mean?

The Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum) is one of only a few venomous lizard species in the world
Source: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, "Gila Monster"
Gila Monsters live in the deserts of the American Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah) and northwestern Mexico
Source: National Park Service, "Gila Monster"
Named after the Gila River in Arizona
Source: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Their skin is covered in osteoderms (bony deposits) giving it a beaded appearance
Source: University of California, Berkeley, "Heloderma suspectum"
Gila Monsters store fat in their tails and can survive for months without eating
Source: Beck, D.D., 2005, "Biology of Gila Monsters and Beaded Lizards," University of California Press
They eat eggs, small mammals, birds, and reptiles
Source: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum