By: Saba Syed INTRODUCTION: Today we will talk about a lizard called Gila Monster. It is named after the Gila River in Arizona. It is native to northwestern Mexico and southwestern United States. It inhabits in the desert and semi-arid scrubland environments. It is the largest lizard found in the United States. It is most commonly found in mountain foothills dominated by Saguaros and Palo Verde trees. It may use burrows dug by other animals, or construct burrows of its own. Generally, It occupies two burrows over the course of a year, one from autumn through early spring and another during the warmer spring and summer months. Gila monster prey on newborn rodents, rabbits, hares, ground nesting birds and lizards. It also eats eggs from birds, lizards, snakes and tortoises. As a young, It may consume as much as 50 percent of its body weight in one feeding, while as an adult It is capable of consuming only 35 percent of its body weight in a single feeding. It eats only a few times a year and consumes all the food it requires in just 10 meals! Gila monster is a large, heavy- bodied lizard reaching a little over 1¼ feet in length. It has a large head, bowed legs and short tail. It is bright pink and black, usually in a reticulated pattern, but in a banded pattern in some populations. The pink color allows it to blend with the environment. Gila monster may lay 5 to 12 eggs every year in late summer.  I am named after the Gila River in Arizona. I am native to northwestern Mexico and southwestern United States. I inhabit in desert and semi-arid scrubland environments. I am the largest lizard found in the United States. WHERE DO I LIVE? I am most commonly found in mountain foothills dominated by saguaros and palo verde trees. I also use washes that extend down into valleys. It may use burrows dug by other animals, or construct burrows of my own. Generally, I occupy two burrows over the course of a year, one from autumn through early spring and another during the warmer spring and summer months. WHAT DO I EAT?
I prey on newborn rodents, rabbits, hares, ground nesting birds and lizards. I also eat eggs from birds, lizards, snakes and tortoises. As a young, I may consume as much as 50 percent of my body weight in one feeding, while as an adult I am capable of consuming only 35 percent of its body weight in a single feeding. I eat only a few times a year. I consume all the food I requires in just 10 meals!  HOW DO I LOOK?
I am a large, heavy- bodied lizard reaching a little over 1¼ feet in length. I have a large head, bowed legs and short tail. I have small, bead-like scales called osteoderms and small beady eyes. I am bright pink and black, usually in a reticulated pattern, but in a banded pattern in some populations. The pink color allows me to blend with the environment. HOW DO I REPRODUCE? I lay an average of 5 eggs, but as many as 12, may be laid in late summer. In southern Arizona, I breed in May and June, with eggs laid in late June through mid August. The eggs incubate and develop from fall to early spring; young appear the following April through June.  FUN FACTS ABOUT ME! Want to know fun facts about me? Okay. I may flip over while my jaws are still clamped onto prey. This move may help my venom flow into the prey's wound.I am a threatened species due to habitat loss. ACTIVITY
Grade K-1
Spark up your imagination and create a poster of gila monster. Use a colored construction paper (8”x11”) for this super creative activity. The poster must include at least 1 picture (hand drawn or printed), and some cool facts about the gila monster. You can color it any way you want, using crayons, markers, paints, or colored pencils. Grade 2 Create a poster of this unique gila monster. This is where you can be as creative as you like. Your poster should be approximately 18”x18” inch and must include at least 3 pictures. The pictures can be hand drawn or printed. The poster must also include some cool facts about the gila monster and also one thing about gila monster that interest you the most. You can decorate it any way you want, using crayons, markers, paints, or colored pencils. Grade 3 Put on your artist hat and get ready! Create an exciting poster of this unique gila monster, a Sonora Desert native. The size of the poster should be about 18”x24”. and must include at least 4 pictures. The pictures can be hand drawn or printed from the websites. The poster must also include some fun and interesting facts about the gila monster. It must also include two things about the gila monster that interest you the most, labelled seperately under a separate heading. Use any art medium you are interested in in making this poster colorful including crayons, markers, paints, or colored pencils. WHERE DID YOU FIND INFORMATION ABOUT ME? Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden. The Desert Museum is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the Sonoran Desert. http://www.desertmuseum.org/books/nhsd_gila.php Kids Can Travel A travel website for planning kid-friendly family vacations. The website contains information about state parks and its habitats. |