Phenix Roy recently posted a throwback to one of the best days of work she ever had as a park ranger in the Mojave Desert. It was the day she spotted a rare and elusive desert creature—a Gila monster. Gila monsters are the only venomous lizards in North America, and they’re not easy to spot in the wild.
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“Already rare, the Gila Monsters that are out there spend 80-90% of their lives inside a burrow,” Roy wrote in her Instagram post sharing her exciting moment. “It was a slim chance to see one, but the warm spring air mixed with a late season sprinkle of rain gave me this wonderful moment.”
[RELATED: California Biologists Announce Sighting of Incredibly Rare Mammal]
I’ve always wanted to see one of these guys, but I haven’t. Roy’s reaction is exactly what mine would be!
Check out a park ranger’s reaction to spotting a rare Gila monster crossing the road in the Mojave Desert:
Header stock image of Mohave Desert by Gary Yeowell/Getty Imagesv
