Gila Monster: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Lizards · day 2 of 7

Five facts

1. A Gila monster keeps fat in its tail, so it does not need to eat often. One big meal can be a third of an adult's own weight.
2. Unlike a snake, a Gila monster makes venom in glands in its lower jaw. The venom flows up two tiny grooves in its teeth.
3. A peptide in Gila monster venom became the blueprint for the diabetes drug exenatide, approved in 2005.
4. Gila monsters spend roughly 90% of their lives hidden in burrows.
5. Gila monsters moved up to 1.2 km away have found their way back to where they were found within two months.

The quiz

1. Where does a Gila monster store fat?

• In its tail (correct)
• In its back
• In its legs
• In its head

It keeps fat in its tail, so it does not need to eat often.

2. Where does a Gila monster's venom flow through?

• Hollow fangs like a snake's
• A stinger on its tail
• Its claws
• Grooves in its lower teeth (correct)

Venom travels through two tiny grooves in the lower teeth.

3. Which drug was modelled on a peptide from Gila monster venom?

• A painkiller
• A sleeping pill
• A diabetes drug (correct)
• A heart drug

The peptide became the blueprint for the diabetes drug exenatide.

4. What share of their lives do Gila monsters spend hidden in burrows?

• Roughly 9%
• Roughly 90% (correct)
• Roughly 25%
• Roughly 50%

They spend roughly 90% of their lives hidden in burrows.

5. What did relocated Gila monsters do?

• Settled in the new place
• Dug a new burrow right away
• Hid for a year
• Returned to their original spot (correct)

They returned to their original spot within two months.

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