From Wiki;
It is referred to locally in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area as the "Lazarus lizard", as it was introduced to the area around 1950 by George Rau, a boy who was a member of the family that owned the Lazarus department store chain (now absorbed into Macy's). After he returned from a family vacation to Northern Italy, he released about 10 of the reptiles near his Cincinnati home.[2] This prolific lizard has reproduced exponentially, it continues to expand its distribution range annually, and has established itself so well in Southwest Ohio that it is now considered a native (although introduced) species by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and is protected under State law (it is illegal to harm, capture, or possess this animal without a proper licence.[
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