O monster (Heloderma suspectum) is a lizard that inhabits deserts in the southern United States of America and North Mexico. This strange animal produces a toxin that served as the basis for the creation of the active principle semaglutido, sold today under the brands Ozempic, Wegov, Rybelsus, among others.
Even though it is an animal with several particularities, the monster-de-gila is also subject to suffering from . According to article published in the March edition of Ecology and Evolution, These animals may not adapt to the warming of their habitat.
Five years ago, Steve Hromad -At the time researcher at the University of Nevada-gathered, together with his colleagues, records of observations of gila monsters in Nevada, Utah, California and Arizona. Thus, they could better understand the types of environments preferred by these animals. Then, using climate change forecasts, the team has made simulations in software to predict how this habitat map could change in the coming decades.
The team found that in a scenario of smaller greenhouse gas emissions, few things will move to the monsters. However, in a scenario with high emissions, the appropriate environments for these lizards can reduce by two thirds by 2082.
Even living in deserts, the animal prefers cooler areashiding in holes and hunting at night in warmer times. Scientists predict that minor lifting areas can become unfeasible to the animal, while mountainous regions can warm and become more conducive to their occurrence.
However, Steve’s team found that these animals have difficulty moving over great distances and climbing mountains. Also, even if some habitats become more likely to these animals in terms of average temperature, it is difficult to predict whether these environments will have food and other important factors for lizards, scientists say.
The researchers calculated that More than 90% of the current and future habitat of the Monster of Gila in the Mojave Desert is located in public landsmost of which have protection at the federal, state or local level.
“Maintain these protection status – whether in national parks or national conservation areas around these regions – it can be really important to ensure the presence of the species in the landscape,” says Steve.
Given this scenario, it is important for the population to require these areas to remain protected at any cost, as they point to a flexibility in the environmental protection of federal areas, which can be fatal to the monster and several other species.
