A juvenile Jira monster named Winston is the prime suspect in the death of its owner, who is currently suspected to be sensitive to the lizard's poisonous saliva.
The Colorado man died Feb. 16 four days after being bitten by the reptile, possibly becoming the second person in the past century to die from the venom of the Heloderma suspectum.
Stephen Mackessy, a biologist at the University of Northern Colorado, told CBS News reporter Brian Maas: "This is a very unusual consequence of a monster bite from the Gira. ”。
The Jira (pronounced hee-la) monster is a half-meter-long (about 20 inches) lizard native to the southwestern United States and the Mexican state of Sonora. This lizard has a unique concave and convex texture, speckled black and orange**, and has a more rat-like personality than a monster, and is highly prized among reptile collectors.
The Gila monster stands on the beach from above.
Jira monster patchy color and unique** bulge. (Peter Fincher, Getty Agency).
However, the always shy Jira does deserve respect, as she is capable of making nasty biting noises with grooved teeth, which opens the way for the infiltration of muscle-destroying enzyme mixtures.
Although there is no antivenom, the bite will only bring relatively brief (but intense) pain, as well as swelling, nausea, and weakness. In any case, it was not a pleasant experience.
Arizona State University veterinarian Dale Denardo told the Associated Press reporter Mead Gruver, "It's like your hand getting caught in a car door." ”。
Even the initial pain lasts for an hour. Then you will experience the pain and throbbing that are typical for a few days. This is much more serious than any bee, wasp or scorpion. ”
The death toll from the bite of the Gila monster has been just over six on record, but the reliability of all but one of the claims is highly controversial, so it is impossible to draw any strong conclusions about the nature of the deaths or whether they were related to the snake's venom.
Even in this particular case, the link between the bite and the cause of death is purely speculative.
Christopher Ward, a 34-year-old resident of Jefferson County, was reportedly bitten on the hand by one of his two unlicensed Kira monsters, Winston and Potato. According to his girlfriend, Ward began vomiting and had difficulty breathing minutes after being bitten.
Although the victim was rushed to the hospital and received life support, he unfortunately passed away less than four days later.
Although it is illegal to possess the Jira monster without a license in Colorado, state authorities admit that illegal sales "happen from time to time." Experts cite this incident as a reminder to be extra careful when handling reptiles.
The lizards have been cared for at a reptile sanctuary in South Dakota, and Winston's saliva samples are being further tested for signs of unique qualities, which may shed new light on the case. Meanwhile, Ward's death was attributed to a sensitivity to the reptilian venom.
Despite the destructive nature of the Jira monster's venom, some of its ingredients inspired the development of new types of drugs. A peptide called exendin-4 activates a class of receptors on brain and pancreatic cells to enhance insulin secretion. In the hands of biochemists, exenatide-4 is modified into semaglutide; A drug that is now used as a diabetes drug**, transformed into *** under brands such as Wegovy and Ozenpic