Hey, friends! We're the Brueggens!

John started with a Gila Monster named Texi over 30 years ago. Today, he has created the Gila Den with the Gila Hilton and Lil' Sonora Desert in the middle, and quite a few more Gila Monsters. Our aim is to share Gila Monsters with you, learn more about their unique care and needs, and have epic adventures along the way. Thanks for joining us on this journey!

John

After running out of space in the house, John created the Gila Den in 2020 and expanded the collection. He is the Director of the St Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park and is a member of the IUCN SSC Crocodile Specialist Group, which explains many of the adventures and co-authorship of our book, A Guide to Identifying Crocodilians of the World with his wife, Jen. John is also a member of The Explorers Club.

Jen

Wildlife photographer, filmmaker, and techie person that also has decades of reptile experience. She is a crocodilian specialist and a member of the IUCN SSC Crocodile Specialist Group and co-author on the their crocodile identification book.

Lucas

Chief Security officer and Good Boy. Lucas loves to watch and sniff the Gila Monsters, just not too close!