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The Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum, / ˈ h iː l ə / HEE-lə) is a species of venomous lizard native to the Southwestern United States and the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora. It is a heavy, slow-moving reptile, up to 56 centimetres (22 in) long, and it is the only venomous lizard native to the United States.
The Gila woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) is a medium-sized woodpecker of the desert regions of the southwestern United States and western Mexico. In the U.S., they range through southeastern California , southern Nevada , Arizona , and New Mexico .
The venom glands of Heloderma are located at the end of the lower jaws, unlike snakes' venom glands, which are located behind the eyes. Also, unlike snakes, the Gila monster and beaded lizards lack the musculature to inject venom immediately. They have to chew the venom into the flesh of a victim. Heloderma venom is used only in defense.
With an estimated 200,000 captive desert tortoises in California, their escape or release into the wild is a real threat to uninfected wild populations of tortoises. Projections from this study suggest that about 4400 tortoises could escape from captivity in a given year, and with an 82% exposure rate to URTD, the wild population may be at ...
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The most common is the western rattlesnake, which can be found from sea level to elevations of 7,000 feet, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Rattlesnakes can be ...
They are substantially larger than the Gila monster, which only reaches lengths of 30 to 56 cm (12 to 22 in). The snout-to-vent length of a beaded lizard averages 33 to 48 cm (13 to 19 in). The average body mass of an adult beaded lizard is 800 g (1.8 lb), about 45% heavier than the average mass of a Gila monster, with large specimens exceeding ...
A Colorado man who died after getting bitten by a Gila monster was hardly alone in having the gnarly looking lizard for a pet. “It’s like getting your hand slammed, caught in a car door ...