Illinois lizard has new home at zoo

CARTERVILLE, Ill. -- Joanna, the 20-pound, 6-foot-long lizard that went on the lam for nearly a month before being captured, will live out her life near the sunny beaches of Miami.

Joanna, an Asian water monitor, gained notoriety shortly after she escaped on June 18 from her cage and took refuge in the Lake Moses area near Benton, Ill.

In the weeks that followed, Joanna was sighted occasionally but evaded capture by slipping back into the lake or the ponds that surround it.

Joanna finally was captured on July 16 by the Franklin County Sheriff's Department and her owner, Derek Freeman.

Joanna will be living a life of leisure at the Metro Miami Zoo for years to come, according to the zoo's herpetologist, Steve Connors. "We are going to see to it that she gets all the rest and relaxation she needs, for the rest of her life," Connors said. "She's had quite the month and deserves to be taken care of better than what her owner could provide for her."