The Gila monster is a large, slow-moving, venomous lizard of the American Southwest. It is rarely seen and poses little danger to people, but it has made an extraordinary contribution to medicine.
Interesting facts
- It is one of the few venomous lizards in the world.
- It delivers venom by chewing, through grooves in its teeth.
- Gila monsters may eat only a few large meals a year.
- They store fat in their thick tails.
- They spend most of their time underground.
- Their beaded skin is patterned in black with pink, orange or yellow.
Behaviour
Gila monsters spend most of their lives in burrows and emerge mainly in spring to find food and mates. They raid nests for eggs and young.
Breeding and young
Females lay about 2–12 eggs in late summer; the young hatch the following spring.
Threats and conservation
Habitat loss from development, road deaths and illegal collection.
Where to see it
- Saguaro National Park, Arizona
- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson
- Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
- Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, Utah
Status source: IUCN Red List. Profile last reviewed September 2026.
