A Colorado man died after being bitten by a Gila monster, a venomous lizard he illegally kept as a pet. Christopher Ward, 34, became ill and passed away after being bitten on the hand by one of the reptiles, which are illegal to own in the city of Lakewood. The venomous lizards were removed from Ward's home, and officials plan to relocate them to an animal park in South Dakota. Gila monsters are the largest lizards in the United States and their venom is as toxic as that of a western diamondback rattlesnake, with no antivenom available for their bites.
A Colorado man died after being bitten by his pet Gila monster named Winston, with the venomous lizard latching onto his hand and causing him to exhibit severe symptoms before being declared brain-dead. The man's girlfriend turned over the illegal pets to animal control, and the venomous reptiles were sent to a sanctuary in South Dakota, while the spiders found in their home were rehomed at an animal shelter. If tests confirm the cause of death as the lizard's bite, it would be a rare fatality caused by a member of the lizard species.
A Colorado man died after being bitten by one of his pet Gila monsters, with officials investigating whether the creature's venom was the cause. Christopher Ward, 34, was taken to the hospital after the incident and placed on life support before passing away. His girlfriend handed over the lizards to animal control, and the creatures were sent to a sanctuary in South Dakota. Gila monsters are venomous but their bites are not typically deadly, making this incident rare.
A Colorado man died after being bitten by his pet Gila monster, with the cause of death potentially linked to the lizard's venom. The man was hospitalized and placed on life support after the bite, eventually being declared brain dead. His girlfriend surrendered the lizards to authorities, and the creatures were sent to a sanctuary in South Dakota. Gila monsters are venomous but their bites are not typically fatal to humans.
A Colorado man died after being bitten by his pet Gila monster, which is illegal to own in Lakewood. The man quickly showed symptoms, was taken to the hospital, and later died. The venomous lizard was removed from the home and will be relocated to Reptile Gardens in South Dakota. Gila monsters, the largest lizards in the U.S., have venom as toxic as a rattlesnake's, and while their bites are not usually deadly, there is no antidote for their venom.
A Colorado man died after being bitten by his pet Gila monster, with authorities investigating whether the lizard's venom was the cause. The man's girlfriend found him exhibiting symptoms shortly after the bite and the man was placed on life support before being declared brain dead. The lizards were handed over to authorities and sent to a sanctuary, while it was revealed that Gila monsters are illegal in Lakewood.
A 34-year-old man in Colorado died after being bitten by one of his pet Gila monsters, prompting an investigation into the rare incident. Gila monsters are venomous reptiles native to the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, and while their bites are typically not fatal for humans, this case has raised questions. The exact cause of the man's death is still unknown, but toxicology testing is underway. The last known fatal case involving a Gila monster bite was in 1930, making this incident exceptionally rare.
A 34-year-old man in Lakewood died after being bitten by his pet Gila monster, a venomous lizard. Despite the rarity of Gila monster bites causing death in humans, the man did not survive his injuries. Authorities removed the two Gila monsters from the man's home, as it is illegal to own them in Lakewood, and they have been taken to a wildlife rehabilitation facility.
A 34-year-old Colorado man died after being bitten by one of his pet Gila monsters, a venomous reptile native to the southwestern United States. While Gila monster bites are not typically fatal to humans, an expert suggested that the victim may have suffered an allergic reaction. It is illegal to own Gila monsters in Colorado without a license, and the man also owned tarantulas. Authorities are conducting toxicology testing to determine the precise cause of death, and the Gila monsters will be removed from the home and taken to a wildlife rehab facility.
A new study has found that female Gila monsters exhibit surprisingly intense and violent aggression towards each other, with biting and lateral rotation resembling the "deathroll" of crocodiles. This behavior is not observed in male-male aggression. The study suggests that female aggression in this species may be related to nest defense and preventing cannibalism. Gila monsters are the largest lizard native to the United States and are largely understudied despite their iconic status as venomous lizards.
