Gila is pronounced “heela.” Gila monsters are one of only two kinds of venomous lizards in the world (the other is the beaded lizard, a close relative of the gila). Their bite is poisonous. They catch prey with their teeth, and glands in the lower jaw contain the poison that flows down through a groove in their teeth and subdues their prey. Their bite is not fatal to humans, but it is very painful.

Gila Monsters live in New Mexico and other southwestern arid areas in the US. They can live from 20-30 years. They store fat in their tails and live off this fat in their underground burrows during the winter. They move slowly and are neither quick nor agile.

They shed their skin in many pieces, not in one big piece like a snake. Gila monsters need to be around water as they lose water through their skin.