Scientific Name: Heloderma suspectum
Temporal Activity: During cooler month?s diurnal, nocturnal during hotter months.
Diet: Young rabbits, hares, and other rodents, also ground nesting birds, snakes, lizards, and tortoises along with their eggs are also consumed.
Predators: Preyed upon by hawks, owls, coyoyes, and ringtails.
Breeding: In summer males engage in combat to mate with females, two to twelve eggs are laid and hatchlings do not emerge until the following spring.
Vegetation Association: Primarily found in saguaro and palo verde foothills, but also in washes leading into valleys.
Notes: Gila monsters are one of two venomous species of lizard in the world; the bite is rarely fatal but is extremely painful.
Photos:  Photo taken at Brown's Ranch on April 23, 2004.  For more photos click on camara icon.

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