TUCSON, Ariz. — It was a showdown that could only be seen in the Sonoran Desert.
In one corner was the Gila monster, the only venomous lizard to live in Arizona.
In the other corner was the bushy-tailed squirrel, a rodent found throughout North America.
The two creatures eyed each closely other before the squirrel relinquished its stance and timidly scurried away.
The standoff was all caught on camera by Claudine Villardito in the backyard of her Tucson property.
Villardito recorded the interaction a few months ago and recently unearthed the amusing video. Villardito said she had never seen such a standoff before and decided to share the interesting spectacle on social media.
The squirrel may have perceived the sluggish reptile as a threat since Gila monsters eat baby rodents and rabbits. The shy lizards are mostly unseen during the winter months when they're conserving energy inside their burrows.
When the spring season hits, Gila monsters become much more active as they start searching for food and soaking up that warm Arizona sun, according to ASU.
Researchers have found that Gila monsters can get quite aggressive and violent with each other, so it was probably best that the squirrel walked away from the fight.
Video Credit: Claudine Villardito
UP TO SPEED
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX."
Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.