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Abstract
Gila Monsters (Heloderma suspectum) are symbolic species of the desert landscapes of the southwestern United States and Mexico. These large, venomous lizards appear to be rather uncommon throughout their range, but our understanding of their population status is complicated by the fact that they spend most of their lives underground rather than actively moving through their preferred upland habitat. Personnel and volunteers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have opportunistically monitored Gila Monsters in the vicinity of San Bernardino and Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuges in southeastern Cochise County, Arizona, from 2000-2017. Lizards were captured, measured, weighed, sexed, photographed, PIT-tagged, and then released at the capture site. Data from 222 different Gila Monsters (313 total captures, including 91 total recaptures) provided insight into seasonal and daily activity periods, individual movement, home range size, habitat use, life history traits, growth and longevity, mortality, and food habits. Such basic population ecology information was easily and economically gathered by Service staff. It contributed to the overall knowledge of Gila Monster population ecology.
Parent Publication
Keywords
forest restoration,
history,
climate,
soils,
vegetation,
geomorphology,
watersheds,
water quality,
water quantity,
fluvial ecosystems,
fish and invertebrate fauna,
riparian ecosystems
Citation
Radke, William R. 2022. Monitoring gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) populations in southeastern Cochise County, Arizona. In: Neary, D. G.; Gottfried, G. J., eds. Collaboration Now for the Future: IV Conference on the Biodiversity and Management of the Madrean Archipelago. Proceedings RMRS-P-79. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 239-246.
