This gila monster is having some fun in the sun.
These impressive lizards spend the majority of their time concealed underground, residing in burrows, packrat nests, or caliche caves and dens. They are most frequently observed out and about from March through May or June. If you’re fortunate like we were, you might catch a glimpse of them basking in the sun, digging, or hunting.
Their carnivorous diet consists of newborn and young rabbits, young packrats and other rodents, bird eggs, nestling birds, lizards, and occasionally small snakes. A gila monster can consume enough food in just a few spring meals to sustain it until the following spring. They store fat in their sausage-like tails, and the prey they consume also serves as their primary source of water.
Did you know? Gila monsters are among the only two venomous lizards in North America and hold the title of the largest lizard in the United States. While they are predominantly found in west-central Arizona, they also inhabit parts of Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, and California.
If you’re lucky enough to encounter a gila monster in its natural habitat, take a moment to appreciate the sighting and snap some photos, but please don’t touch or disturb it.
