Gila+Monster

=__**THE GILA MONSTER**__= //By:Seamus Belill// __**FACTS**__ //The Gila Monster is on of only two species of venomous lizards; both are of the family Helodermatidae and bothe are similar in appearance and habits. Its venemous cousin, the Mexican Beaded Lizard, is slightly larger and darker. The Gila Monster is a stout-bodied lizard that grows 18 to 24 inches in length. It has black, orange. pink or yellow broken blatches, bars and spots, with bands extending onto its blnt tail. Its face is black,and it has small, bead-like scales across its back. It is named for the Gila River Basin of the southwestern United States.// http://www.nashvillezoo.org/gila.htm __**SIZE**__ //The size of an average adult Gila Monster is ; length 23in. and weight is 3 pounds.// http://www.nashvillezoo.org/gila.htm //In the wild Gila Monsters eat small mammals, lizards, frogs, insects, carrion, birds and birds' eggs. They hunt primarily with their sense of taste and smell instead of with their eyes. These predatos smell its prey and tracks it. They flick their forked tongue to taste the scent particles that were left, like a trail, on the ground. The element of surprise is their dey to sucessful hunting. They grab their prey and subdue it with their jaws and teeth. Most of their prey is small enough to overcome without th evenom. Nonetheless, venom flows into the bite woulnds after infliction. Their venom attacks the nervous system and is strong enough to kill birds and mammals. This may beintensified as the Gila Monster clamps down with his jaws and rolls over. It has been theorized that the venom of the Gila Monster is used more as a defense mechanism. http://www.nashvillezoo.org/gila.htm////// //Endangered.// //In zoos they can live for 25-30 years. In the wild, its lifespan is shortened due to predators, famine and other threats to their survival. http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/index.php?id=3_1_2_4 The Gila monster seems to prefer an area which is wet enough to support shrub life. They are found more often in the rockier, wetter desert scrub but they are also found in drier, sandier areas. They prefer rocky foothills to open land or agricultural areas. http://www.nashvillezoo.org/gila.htm////// The Gila monster seems to prefer an area which is wet enough to support shrub life. They are found more often in the rockier, wetter desert scrub but they are also found in drier, sandier areas. They prefer rocky foothills to open land or agricultural areas. [|wwwlnashvillezoo.org/gila.htm]
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