A man in the United States has died after being bitten by a poisonous lizard that he had illegally kept as a pet and for which there is no antidote.
Christopher Ward became seriously ill after his Gila monster bit him on the hand.
The Lakewood Police Department (LPD) in Denver reported that this 34-year-old man was illegally possessing two reptiles and discovered the case when his girlfriend called to report an emergency.
The woman reportedly claimed that one of the lizards bit Christopher’s hand while he was in his room.
LPD Animal Control Officer Leesha Crookston said this man began showing serious symptoms after the incident.
Within a few minutes, he vomited several times and eventually passed out. Furthermore, his breathing stopped abruptly.
The woman assured officers that she did not know exactly how the events occurred because she was in another room when she heard her boyfriend’s screams.
In this way, Christopher was taken to a hospital, where he was given artificial ventilation.
However, doctors declared him brain dead and he died on February 16 after being in critical condition for four days.
This animal, named Winston, was purchased at a reptile show in Denver in October 2023 and was estimated to be one year old.
Gila monster removed from home
Authorities told the man’s girlfriend that owning Gila monsters was illegal in the city of Lakewood; The wildlife authorities were therefore ordered to confiscate the animals.
This lizard is the largest in North America and can grow up to 50 centimeters long. These animals live primarily in northern Mexico, but are also found in states such as Arizona, California and New Mexico in the USA.
The Smithsonian National Zoo explained that this animal was named after the Gila River. Be Poison It is found in the glands of its upper jaw and is injected into its prey via its teeth.
“The Gila monster’s venom is just as toxic as that of a western rattlesnake. “However, the Gila bite introduces a relatively small amount of venom,” he said.
Unlike venomous snakes, this lizard does not have hollow fangs, but instead uses its grooved teeth to chew its venom and infect its prey.
The truth is that this animal usually holds its prey captive for about 10 minutes and so far there is no antidote to its poison.
However, experts say it is very rare for a lizard bite to result in the death of a person.
Wildlife officials said the lizards will be taken to an animal park in Dalota del Sur. Additionally, it was discovered that Christopher also had 26 spiders of various species in his home.
Authorities continue to investigate the incident to determine whether this man died from a lizard bite or a medical condition.
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