Gila Monster
Heloderma suspectum
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyHelodermatidae (Beaded Lizards)
- GenusHeloderma (Beaded Lizards)
- SpeciesHeloderma suspectum (Gila Monster)
About the Gila Monster
The Gila monster ( HEE-lə; Heloderma suspectum) 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 22 in (56 cm) long, and it is the only venomous lizard native to the United States. The Gila monster is sluggish in nature, so it is not generally dangerous and very rarely poses a real threat to humans, though the bite is painful. Nonetheless, it has a fearsome reputation and is sometimes killed despite the species being protected by state law in Arizona.
The lower teeth have venom grooves to transmit the venom to the prey. The venom contains multiple peptides; one of these, exendin-4, formed the basis for the development of the GLP-1 receptor agonists, used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.
The name "Gila" refers to the Gila River Basin in the U.S. states of Arizona and New Mexico, where the Gila monster was once plentiful. Heloderma means "studded skin", from the Ancient Greek words helos (ἧλος), "the head of a nail or stud", and derma (δέρμα), "skin". The species epithet suspectum comes from the describer, paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope. At first, this... Wikipedia →
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Gila Monster in Saguaro National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Gila Monster sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 346 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Gila Monster in Saguaro National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for Gila Monster in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.