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Gila Monster

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The gila monster is a large species of lizard that is natively found in parts of the southern United States and northern Mexico. The gila monster is also one of only two species of venomous lizard found in North America.

The gila monster is found roaming through a range of habitats throughout the drier regions of central America. Gila monsters tend to inhabit areas that are more sheltered such as shrublands, woodlands, forests and semi-deserts.

In the same way that a camel's hump, the tail of the gila monster acts as a fat storage facility in order to help the gila monster to survive more successfully in such arid conditions. When the gila monster eats and therefore replenishes its fat supply, the tail of the gila monster swells in size and becomes smaller again as its body uses up the fat.

The gila monster has short powerful legs, and long claws which it mainly uses for digging. Gila monsters spend nearly all of their time in burrows underground, either ones they have dug themselves or more likely, those stolen from other animals.

The gila monster is one of only two venomous lizard species that are found in North America. The gila monster has venom glands below its teeth on the bottom jaw which is released when the gila monster bites its prey. The gila monster then waits while its venom kills the animal, before finally eating it.

The gila monster is a carnivorous animal and therefore has a purely animal-based diet. Bird and reptile eggs make up the majority of the gila monster's diet, along with insects, frogs, small mammals and reptiles, including smaller lizards.

Despite its large size, the gila monster is a fairly slow-moving animal meaning that it is preyed upon by a number of predators in its natural environment. Coyotes and humans (who often kill the gila monster claiming self-defence), are the main predators of the gila monster along with birds of prey and small ground-dwelling animals that hunts the eggs of the gila monster.

After mating, the female gila monster lays between 2 and 15 eggs which she buries underground. The incubation period for the gila monster eggs is one of the longest of all reptiles, as they can take up to a year to hatch.

Gila Monster Comments (3)

kate

"yey! i can do my hw now!"

Pinky

"So ultra-absolute wonderful information for my A-Z work at school!!!"

cheyanne davis

"if i see a gila monster all i know is to run because i surley don't want ot get eatin alive"

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Gila Monster Facts

Kingdom: A level of classifying all living things on earth, as similar species are broken into 5 groups including plants, animals and fungi....	Animalia
Phylum: A level of classifying animals within the animal kingdom. Phylum are further divided into subgroups called classes....	Chordata
Class: A level of classifying animals in a phylum. Classes are then sub-divided into further groups known as orders....	Reptilia
Order: A level used to classify animals. Classes are broken into sub-groups known as order, which are broken down further into families....	Squamata
Family: A level of classifying animals within an order. Orders are broken down in families and families are broken down further into smaller groups called genus....	Helodermatidae
Genus: A level of classifying animals within a family. Families are divided into sub-groups called genus which generally contain one or two animal species....	Heloderma

Scientific Name:	Heloderma Suspectum
Type:	Reptile
Diet:	Carnivore
Size:	30-60cm (12-24in)
Weight:	1.3-2.2kg (3-5lbs)
Top Speed:	24km/h (15mph)
Life Span:	20-30 years
Lifestyle:	Solitary
Conservation Status: The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing the conservation s...	Threatened

Colour:	Tan, Brown, Black, Grey, White
Skin Type:	Scales
Favourite Food:	Eggs
Habitat: The term habitat is used to describe a specific area where a particular animal lives, within an environment. Many animals have adapted to requiring specific conditions which can only be found in their natural habitat su...	Shrubland, desert and woodland
Average Clutch Size:	8
Main Prey: When an animal is referred to prey, it means that the animal is either hunted or caught for food. Animals that are referred to as prey are generally hunted by bigger animals, although there are a number of exceptions....	Eggs, Small Mammals, Birds and Reptiles
Predators: When an animal is referred to as a predator, it means that the animal either hunts or catches other animals. Predatory animals are generally dominant within their environment and will generally hunt animals smaller than...	Humans, Coyotes, Birds Of Prey
Special Features:	Fat-storing tail and venomous bite

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