Jim Jones

Summer in the Tucson, Green Valley, Oro Valley, Catalina, Saddlebrooke Ranch, Picture Rocks, and other areas of the Sonoran Desert is a time when bats by the 10s of thousands help reduce the insect population and keep homeowners, visitors, and pets, pretty much protected from mosquitoes. We are blessed to have over 2 dozen species of bats that help us in the summer. In the evening, if you have the time to park and watch the area around major bridges-over-washes, you will see thousands of...

The Sonoran Desert Toad-aka, Colorado River Toad, is found extensively across the Southwest and particularly in Tucson and the surrounding areas. It is extremely dangerous due to the poison it expresses from glands behind its eyes. This poison has been developed to protect these toads from predators and is fatal to small animals and reptiles, with a very negative effect on bigger animals. These toads also can deliver their poison when they bite their intended prey, you or your pet, but this...

Gila Monsters in action Gila Monsters (Monstruo de Gila) are one of only a few venomous lizards in the world and the largest lizard native to the United States. They are protected and, you should observe but not bother them or try and capture one. They have a mild neurotoxin but, do not have fangs. Rather the venom is released through grooves in bottom Jaw. Their teeth point backward so that, when they capture their prey, it is extremely hard for that animal to get away. When they capture...