The most well known venomous lizards are the Gila Monster and the Mexican Beaded Lizard. I want to deter but not kill. I still think they are a beautiful and under-appreciated piece of the wild. When the lizard seizes a prey and starts to chew, the poison flows into the wound and the victim soon stops struggling. Most lizards, in reality, are harmless to humans, as are most turtles; however, there are certain members of both groups that can kill, maim, make ill, or inflict at least mild levels of pain on their hapless human victims. South Africa is home to at least five species of the Bufo genus, the so-called "true toads": the gutteral, flat-backed, olive, raucous and northern pygmy toads. However, I must stress that it is extremely rare to encounter any of these venomous snakes in Africa. Are there any poisonous Lizards? Think of Africa and snakes perhaps aren’t the first wildlife that springs to mind. The tropical climate ensures the perfect breeding ground for many poisonous snakes and potentially life threatening bites. Thanks for all the information. There is a large spearhead mark on the crown of the head; dark and light bands radiating from eye to lip. These lizards are classified in the Family Helodermatidae which has one genus containing only these two species. Africa and Australia may contain some very localized lizards that have small amounts of poison. Not with lions, leopards, rhinos et al. Toads are a specialized group of frogs whose primary habitat is terrestrial. I love lizards but there are so many in my apartment and they love to live behind my bedside cabinet in the lamplight – for example – all those droppings are unhealthy . The two lizards are the Mexican beaded lizard and the Gila monster. Some lizards are, in fact, venomous, and some are quite aggressive. This page is designed to list the venomous lizards of the United States, but should in no way be considered an authoritative list. South Africa is a continent that is so vast, that keeping a record of all the incidences regarding spider and snake bites is impossible. Most geckos are nocturnal, hiding during the day and foraging for insects at night. The Gila monster, Heloderma suspectum, and the beaded lizard, … The body is grey-green/-brown, with dark-brown, black-edged bars and blotches on top... [more information] Crocodile Not with lions, leopards, rhinos et al. It’s only been recently that Australian researchers have identified venom in other types of lizards. The poison is made in glands in the lower jaw. While other lizards may have venom, they are not dangerous to people. Darwins Bark Spider. They are found in North America, specifically in south-western United States and Mexico. These are from the same family: Helodermatidae. Think of Africa and snakes perhaps aren’t the first wildlife that springs to mind. This spider is not really a potential threat to humans, but due to the size of its web, it can be quite a scare to run into these things. Africa's largest snake is the African Rock Python. I still think they are a beautiful and under-appreciated piece of the wild. All but a single known species are poisonous. Australia's not only home to venomous snakes, spiders and jellyfish, now scientists have discovered that its lizards are venomous too. During warmer months, I am asked many questions about lizards, especially skinks and geckos. . It is also known as the Pacific house gecko, the Asian house gecko, wall gecko, house lizard, or moon lizard.. Of the almost 6,000 living species of lizards currently recognized, the ones in these families are There are only two main types of poisonous lizards in the world that are widely accepted to fall into the poisonous lizards category. But there are still a few dangerous spiders in South Africa which are poisonous and can affect the health of an adult human quite quickly.