Gila Monster vs Polar bear

Heloderma suspectum compared with Ursus maritimus

Key Differences

• Gila Monster is Near Threatened while Polar bear is Vulnerable.
• Polar bear is 642.9x heavier than Gila Monster.
• Polar bear lives longer (25 years vs 20 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Gila Monster	Polar bear
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Reptilia (Reptiles)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)	Ursidae (Bears)
Genus	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)	Ursus (Bears)
Species	Heloderma suspectum	Ursus maritimus

Evolutionary Relationship

Gila Monster and Polar bear share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Gila Monster

NT — Near Threatened

Trend: Stable →

Polar bear

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Gila Monster	Polar bear
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	20 years	25 years
Average Length	50 cm	2.4 m
Average Weight	700 g	450.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Gila Monster

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Distributed across Mexico and United States. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Polar bear

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Norway. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Gila Monster

The Gila monster is a venomous lizard native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is one of only a few venomous lizards.

Polar bear

The largest land carnivore on Earth, polar bears can exceed 700 kg and are found across Arctic sea ice from Canada to Russia. Highly specialized marine mammals that rely on sea ice to hunt ringed and bearded seals. Excellent swimmers capable of covering vast distances in open water. Listed as Vulnerable, with populations under severe pressure from rapid Arctic sea ice loss due to climate change.