A Green Valley man trying to scooch a Gila monster off the road was hospitalized this week after it bit him β twice, officials say.
The 74-year-old was bitten when he tried to pick up the reptile and move it off the pavement, according to Green Valley Fire.
Witnesses said the unidentified man was trying to move the lizard onto the sidewalk so it would not be struck by a passing vehicle.
The Gila monster bit the man on both hands.
The severity of the bites required the man be taken to a Tucson hospital where his condition was deemed critical, a department spokesman said.
"This is the first Gila monster bite anyone here can remember," said L.T. Pratt, a spokesman for the Green Valley Fire District.
Gila monsters are a venomous species of lizard native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. While not typically aggressive, Gila monsters will defend themselves if they feel threatened or cornered.
Their bite can cause severe pain, swelling and other symptoms that require immediate medical attention. Typically, however, Β bites are treatable and not fatal.
Gila monsters are protected by state and it is illegal to kill, capture, pursue or in any way impede their activities.
Anyone who sees a Gila monster in a residential area should contact Arizona Game and Fish.
Mark Cormier says this is the resident Gila Monster at his home and offered this tidbit: A group of these lizards is called a lounge. This may be where the term lounge lizard comes from. Video by Mark Cormier.
