Heloderma suspectum

Another rare and cool find in Sabino this morning. This one was about 18 inches (45 cm)
in length and moving fast. I spotted it crossing the road and ran to catch up with it. I got
off a few shots before it went down into a hole, likely spending time avoiding the heat
of the day there, and then coming out in the late afternoon / early evening to hunt again.
My encounter lasted only 15 seconds, but still happy to be able to see one in the wild.

Helodermatidae comprises the family of the most venomous lizards in the world.
Venom is secreted from glands in the lower jaw and delivered through grooves in the teeth.
Shy and retreating, these lizards are not aggressive towards humans. People who do manage
to get bitten tend to be male and young. Virtually all bites come from trying to handle the lizard.