The venom contains haemotoxins which destroy red blood
cells, interrupt blood clotting, and are capable of causing
organ degeneration. Right now, no antivenom exists for the
GBL or its cousin, the Gila Monster. With that being said,
however, Roberts assures us that, “Chehaw handlers do not
even require special gear to handle the lizards. They hiss
first before biting.” We can personally attest to the veracity
of that statement, as Esteban had protested vociferously
when Ben attempted to move him with a snake-handling
tool.
“And they jump too, but they’re not fast movers. Yes, their
venom could potentially kill a human, but there’s never been
a recorded incidence of a death in the last 75 years,”
Roberts says a little smugly. Good to know!
In fact, a rare case study of a 24-year-old man bitten on the
hand by a wild GBL in 2008 documented severe localised
pain, together with dizziness, sweating, vomiting and
hypotension. However, the patient recovered sufficiently to
have been discharged from hospital 24 hours later. As an
upside, Heloderma venom formed the basis for the creation
of a new drug to combat diabetes – Byetta. “It interacts
with how your body controls sugar. Mamba venom may
also be of value in treating cerebral palsy.”
As we move towards a few more of the glass-fronted
enclosures, peering inside to try to locate some of the more
difficult-to-find specimens, Ben details some of the myths
surrounding the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard. With the
indigenous name of Escorpión (Spanish for scorpion), the
GBLs are believed to sting with their tails. The local
residents of the Motagua Valley, the lizards’ home territory,
believe that lightning only strikes when these reptiles are
present, and that their breath can
cause disorientation in people.
Indeed, some inhabitants are
convinced the GBL has super-
natural powers, and that it is
capable of causing victims to
waste away, just by passing
through the person’s shadow.
All of this folklore is being
addressed by Project Heloderma.
An initiative begun in 2006 by
Guatemala’s NGO Zootropic,
this conservation programme is
aimed at protecting some of the
country’s most endangered
species - including the
Guatemalan Beaded Lizard and
the arboreal alligator lizards
(Abronia spp.) - as well as their
habitat. It’s also aimed at
dispelling the unfounded fears of
the natives. “All except for one,
who wasn’t afraid,” says Ben. “He
caught the lizards and sold lots
and lots of them onto the black
market. Now he helps track ‘em
down and catch them. Today,
he’s their largest conservationist.”
Ben Roberts is particularly partial
to this programme, for good
reason. “One hundred percent of
Chehaw’s operating profit goes
to helping with conservation. So,
the more money we make, the
more dollars go for
conservation.”
The zoo averages 42,000 visitors
annually - 80% of that business
coming from March-June, with
Left: that piston-like forked tongue
continues to flick in and out, almost
rhythmically.
Image courtesy Vickie Lillo.