Banded Gila Monster

The speckled body of the striped gila monster gives way to solid bands on the tail.

Red Cliffs Desert Reserve/ Cameron Rogan

Living near dry stream beds or washes in the arid desert, Gila monsters (Heloderma suspectum) spend 95 percent of their life underground. They use their strong forelegs and stout claws to excavate their home in the desert's rocky soil. Beaded orange and black scales form an intricate pattern covering their body like armor and they sport an oversized chunky tail. The Gila monster can reach lengths of two feet and weigh in at over five pounds making them the largest lizard native to the United States.

As a diurnal creature, Gila monsters are active during the day, especially in the morning. They move very slowly for a carnivorous animal making them an easy target for predators. They feed primarily on bird and reptile eggs, but may also feed on insects, frogs, and small mammals. The Gila monster is the only venomous lizard native to the United States. While the venom may cause great pain it is the grip of the lizard's jaw that becomes more distressful. Venom is not injected like that from a snake, it oozes from a gland in the lower jaw into the open wound created by the lizard's sharp teeth. Gila monsters can eat up to one third of their weight in one sitting. Excess energy from their meal is stored in their stout tail which may fluctuate in size as much as 20% as the fat storage is replenished or used.

Gila monsters accomplish nearly everything necessary for life within a short 3 month window each year. Female Gila monsters will lay between 2-5 eggs that are buried underground. These eggs will incubate nearly a year before they hatch, making the incubation period for Gila monsters one of the longest of all reptiles.