Gila Monster & Rabbits
While hiking near Mt. Lemmon in AZ, we heard some funny noises coming from underneath an Opuntia cactus. The noise turned out to be a gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) eating some baby rabbits. We snuck up on it and watched the process take place. From start to finish, it took the gila monster about 60 minutes to eat the rabbits. I have no idea how many were in the nest as by the time we found it, it was already in the process of eating them. Its stomach did bulge quite a bit by the end. Also, you can see towards the end that the baby rabbits were well grown with plenty of fur. I have always wanted to see a gila monster so watching one in the midst of eating was quite exciting. This is nature at its finest! Sadly, humans frequently kill gila monsters on sight due to their less than favorable reputation. Coupled with habitat loss, gila monsters are considered near threatened in the US. They are predators and the have to eat just like all life on this planet.
Filmed by Matt Candeias (http://www.indefenseofplants.com)
Edited by Grant Czadzeck (http://www.grantczadzeck.com)