Interesting facts about gila monster by weird square
Channel: Animal Square
Date: 27/01/2018

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The Gila monster  is a species of venomous lizard native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexican state of Sonora. A heavy, typically slow-moving lizard, up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) long, the Gila monster is the only venomous lizard native to the United States and one of only two known species of venomous lizards in North America, the other being its close relative, the Mexican beaded lizard  Although the Gila monster is venomous, its sluggish nature means it represents little threat to humans. However, it has earned a fearsome reputation, and is sometimes killed despite being protected by state law in Arizona
The Gila monster is found in the Southwestern United States and Mexico, a range including Sonora, Arizona, parts of California, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico (potentially including Baja California). They inhabit scrubland, succulent desert, and oak woodland, seeking shelter in burrows, thickets, and under rocks in locations with ready access to moisture. In fact, Gila monsters seem to like water and can be observed immersing themselves in puddles of water after a summer rain.  They avoid living in open areas such as flats and farmland
The Gila monster eats small birds, mammals, frogs, smaller lizards, insects, and carrion.  The Gila monster feeds primarily on bird and reptile eggs, and eats infrequently (only five to ten times a year in the wild),  but when it does feed, it may eat up to one-third of its body mass. It uses its extremely acute sense of smell to locate prey, especially eggs. Its sense of smell is so keen, it can locate and dig up chicken eggs buried 15 cm (6 in) deep and accurately follow a trail made by rolling an egg.
Prey may be crushed to death if large or eaten alive if small, swallowed head-first, and helped down by muscular contractions and neck flexing. Unusually, after food has been swallowed, the Gila monster immediately resumes tongue flicking and search behavior, probably as a result of a history of finding clumped prey such as eggs and young in nests. Gila monsters are able to climb trees and cacti in search of eggs. Animal planet | Discovery | Netflix | Documentary | Animal World
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