A tragic and unusual event has left a Colorado man dead after being bitten by his pet Gila monster. As CBS News Colorado reports, the 34-year-old Lakewood man owned two of these venomous reptiles, despite it being illegal without a license in the state. After sustaining a bite from a juvenile Gila monster measuring approximately 12 inches long, the man was hospitalized but succumbed to his injuries four days later.
The last known death caused by a Gila monster in the United States came to light in 1930. Dr. Nick Brandehoff, a medical toxicologist and reptile expert with the Asclepius Snakebite Foundation, emphasized the rarity of such fatalities. "The vast majority of bites cause local swelling and bleeding," he explained in an interview acquired by BBC. He suggested that the victim may have had an allergic reaction to the venom, a perspective that could offer some explanation for the tragic outcome. An autopsy by the Jefferson County Coroner's Office is underway, but the precise cause of death awaits further toxicology results.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is now involved in the investigation, having removed the Gila monsters from the man's home. Criminal investigator Eric Harper underscored the inherent risks of keeping venomous animals. "venomous reptiles are hazardous and should only be handled or possessed by people with proper training." Harper remarked, according to The Mirror. The Gila monsters are slated to be sent to a wildlife rehab center out of state, while the reptile responsible for the bite will head to a lab at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. There, scientists intend to study its venom and possibly shed light on why this particular bite was fatal.
Renowned for their striking black and orange scales and unique venom delivery system, Gila monsters are a rarity in themselves. They tend to lead a reclusive life, with 90 percent of their time spent underground, making encounters with humans unusual.
