Leapin Lizards! {Gila Monster sighting, Tucson AZ}
Let me tell you, there's nothing more disconcerting than being outside, enjoying the relatively fleeting cool of the morning shade over coffee, and being suddenly startled my husband, up to that point quietly sitting next to me, loudly exclaiming "no s#$%, there's a Gila monster in our yard!!" and leaping to his feet.
No coffee was spilled in this incident and no children were harmed, but yes, indeed, my animal spotting husband was correct, there was a Gila Monster in our midst. He had wandered into the yard and slowly ambled to the pool, cautiously lowering himself (or herself?) for a drink. And then Gila decided to shelter away from the desert swelter in the folds of our pool cover, which means it it currently hibernating and unreachable. And no, we're not reaching our hands in there to attempt removal.
Thanks to Google research (and this University of AZ PDF of helpful info) we determined Gilas can swim, a little, but shouldn't. And so, upon advice thus read, Aaron promptly fashioned a Styrofoam Gila-float that he is going to launch immediately in the pool for said Gila's potential rescue. We fully expect to return home this afternoon to find it sunning itself on the raft, fruity drink with umbrella in hand. Here's hoping.
In the mean time, yes, I brought out the big guns to capture this rare and exciting glimpse of wild Gila behavior. Enjoy!
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No coffee was spilled in this incident and no children were harmed, but yes, indeed, my animal spotting husband was correct, there was a Gila Monster in our midst. He had wandered into the yard and slowly ambled to the pool, cautiously lowering himself (or herself?) for a drink. And then Gila decided to shelter away from the desert swelter in the folds of our pool cover, which means it it currently hibernating and unreachable. And no, we're not reaching our hands in there to attempt removal.
Thanks to Google research (and this University of AZ PDF of helpful info) we determined Gilas can swim, a little, but shouldn't. And so, upon advice thus read, Aaron promptly fashioned a Styrofoam Gila-float that he is going to launch immediately in the pool for said Gila's potential rescue. We fully expect to return home this afternoon to find it sunning itself on the raft, fruity drink with umbrella in hand. Here's hoping.
In the mean time, yes, I brought out the big guns to capture this rare and exciting glimpse of wild Gila behavior. Enjoy!
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