Meet America’s version of the Komodo Dragon: the Gila Monster! 🦎 They weren’t kidding when they dubbed this lizard a “monster!” It is the US's largest and only venomous lizard species and can grow up to 2 feet long! But in actuality, Gila Monsters are not as scary as they seem: they spend 98% of their time in their burrows, and when above ground, they move pretty slowly and are much more afraid of us than we are of them. That being said, absolutely no one recommends approaching them, so if you see one, leave it be! Happy #WorldLizardDay! #Monster #Lizard #WildlifeViewing #Wildlife #Reptile #Herpetology #WildlifeWatching #Desert #DesertWildlife #Animals 📸: nationalparkservice and Wikicommons Image: A Gila lizard standing on shady rocks.