ANIMALS
Colorado Man Dies After Being Bitten By Pet Gila Monster
Jefferson County Coroner
A coroner in Colorado confirmed that a man died earlier this month as a result of being bitten by his illegal pet Gila monster, a venomous lizard, in an extremely rare occurrance possibly caused by an allergic reaction.
The Jefferson County coroner said an autopsy was performed on the 34-year-old man, who has not been identified, after he was bitten by one of his two Gila monsters, a juvenile, on Feb. 12, and died four days later. A precise cause of death wasn’t available, pending additional toxicology reports.
Gila monsters are venomous lizards native to the southwestern U.S., and they are illegal to own as pets in Colorado without a license.
According to the National Park Service, Gila monster venom is potent and painful, although seldom, if ever, fatal. Gila monsters have a strong and persistent grip, however, and the longer they bite, the more venom they release.
Reports of deaths due to Gila Monster bites are rare, and most seem to be complicated by alcohol, drugs or other health factors. A reasonably healthy adult will probably not be killed by a bite, but young children and people with other medical concerns might be vulnerable, the agency said.
Nick Brandehoff, a medical toxicologist and reptile expert with the Asclepius Snakebite Foundation who was consulted on the case, told CBS News said it was difficult for him to even find a case where a Gila monster bite caused a death.
The last case I have been able to find, Brandehoff told the outlet, was 1930, and that was not even a medical journal case.
The Gila monster that bit the man will be taken to a lab at the University of Northern Colorado where its venom will be studied, Brandehoff said, to see if there is some reason this [death] might occur. He speculated the victim may have suffered an unusual allergic reaction to the venom.
The Lakewood Police Department said Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials removed the Gila monsters from the man’s home, and planned to relocate them to a wildlife rehabilitation center in another state.
TMX contributed to this article.
