The Gila monster (pronounced HEE-la, IPA pronunciation: ) (Heloderma suspectum) is a species of venomous lizard that lives in the deserts of the southwestern USA and northwestern Mexico. It is a heavy, slow moving lizard, up to 60 cm (2 feet) long. Its skin has the appearance of beads in the colors black, pink, orange, and yellow, laid down in intricate patterns.