NewsLifeGila monsters may struggle to survive climate changeA future Mojave Desert may have new pockets of habitat, but the reptiles may be stranded Despite living in hot deserts, Gila monsters prefer cooler microhabitats, like shady burrows. As the Mojave heats up, these cool zones may vanish.eliselipinski/inaturalist (CC BY-NC 4.0)By Jake Buehler13 seconds agoFor Gila monsters that live in the warming Mojave Desert, relocating to beat the heat may not be so simple. While climate change might create some better habitats, the lizards could be left behind in regions that become harder to tolerate, researchers report in the March Ecology and Evolution.Gila monsters (Heloderma suspectum) are icons of North Americas deserts. These chunky, black and pink-orange reptiles are among the worlds few venomous lizards. Research on their venom has been crucial for diabetes drug development, thanks to a venom compounds similarity to human hormones that are released after eating.Sign up for our newsletterWe summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.