Gila Monster — Image by kenne
Their movement is slow
Blending in with dead branches
Our presence ignored.
— kenne
Archive for the ‘Gila Monster’ Category
Gila Monster Leave a comment
Gila Monster Leave a comment
Gila Monster — Image by kenne
The Gila monster is a species of venomous lizard native to the Southwestern United States
and the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora.
trespasser
I walk, head down, careful footing as I
study the terrain, the way the shadow
from the mountains cover the valley floor
the dry wash beds, marked with
wildlife tracks, deep and desiccated
no monsoon to wash them away
no relief, no rain to fill these
empty washes, to water this
wilderness that lies dry, parched
the cloudless sky above hides nothing
except for the desert creatures
absent in the heat of the day
as I retrace my path, I step around a gila monster
sunning himself on a rock, his rock
reminding me where I am I am
a trespasser; this is all their’s
and their tracks and presence remind me
step carefully, move slowly, retreat
— Jo Bien
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A Gila Monster Spring Leave a comment
A Gila Monster Spring (Sabino Canyon) — Image by kenne
Gila monsters are heavy-bodied lizards covered with beadlike scales, called osteoderms, that are black and
yellow or pink covering all but their belly. The Gila monster is venomous; its venom is made by a row of glands
in the lizard’s lower jaw. When the lizard bites, small grooves in the teeth help the venom flow into its prey. The
bite of a Gila monster is very strong, and the lizard may not loosen its grip for several seconds. It may even
chew so that the venom goes deeper into the wound.
As the name might suggest, the Gila (pronounced HEE-la) monster has one of the worst reputations in the
reptile world. This lizard is often feared and has been described as frightful and repulsive, especially in local
folklore. Source: San Diego Zoo
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Gila Monster Close-up 1 comment
Gila Monster Close-up — Image by kenneturner.com
“Gila monsters have beaded scales in colorful patterns. Gila monsters are
the largest lizards native to the United States. They get their name from
Arizona’s Gila River basin, where they were first discovered.
Gila monsters are also one of only two venomous lizards in the world.”
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The Sonoran Deserts’ Monster Leave a comment
Gila Monster — Image by kenne
The Gila monster is a large, heavy- bodied lizard reaching a little over 1¼ feet in length.
The head is large, with small, beady eyes; the tail is short and fat. The family name
Helodermatidae means warty skin, referring to the beaded look of the dorsal scales,
due to the presence of osteoderms (small bones) under the scales.
The lizard is bright pink and black, usually in a reticulated pattern,
but in a banded pattern in some populations.
— Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
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Gila Monster In Sabino Canyon 2 comments
Gila Monster In Sabino Canyon — Image by kenne
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Our First Gila Monster Of The Season Leave a comment
Gila Monster — Image by kenne
Not monsters at all, Gila monsters are one of the few species of venomous lizards on the planet. These carnivores are classified as near threatened and are native to the Sonoran Desert. We saw this lizard moving near and under desert bushes in the Saguaro National Park yesterday. Although these carnivores are classified as near threatened, they can be commonly seen this time of year scavenging for food after spending the winter underground.
— kenne
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A Gilla Monster Outing Leave a comment
Gilla Monster — Image by kenne
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Beady-eyed Monster 2 comments
Gila Monster Collage (Sabino Canyon Recreation Area, August 3, 2015) — Images by kenne
