ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL (Arizona) 27 August 03 Man Bitten By Poisonous Gila Monster
Tucson, Ariz (AP): An 18-year-old man is expected to recover after being bitten by a Gila monster in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area, authorities said.
The Gila monster, one of two poisonous lizards in the world, are found only in the deserts of the Southwest and parts of northern Mexico.
Their venom attacks the nervous system and is strong enough to kill birds and other mammals.
The teen was bitten by the reptile about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday and reported the incident to park officials at the visitor's center about 45 minutes later, said Rural-Metro Fire Chief George Good.
The teenager was violently ill and was in the midst of a severe reaction, Good said.
He was treated at a hospital.
Good said it's the first time he's heard of a human being bitten by a Gila monster in his 16-year career.
http://www.abqjournal.com/quirky/apgila08-27-03.htm
TUCSON CITIZEN (Arizona) 27 August 03 Report of Gila monster attack a first for Rural/Metro chief (Gabriela Rico)
Rural/Metro District Chief George Good got a first yesterday - a call about a Gila monster attack.
"In my 16 years, I've never heard of that," he said last night.
An 18-year-old man hiking near the Sabino Canyon Visitors Center was bitten by the Gila monster around 4 p.m. yesterday, Good said.
He said the call to paramedics came about 40 minutes after the man was bitten, so the venomous lizard was not located.
The unidentified man was vomiting and taken by ambulance to Tucson Medical Center, Good said.
It was unclear whether his vomiting was due to the bite or another reason, he said.
No other information on the man or his condition was available last night.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/index.php?page=local&story_id=082703d2_gila_monster
