A live opossum found at a Matson freight facility at Honolulu Harbor on September 19 triggered a state response that led to the animal’s capture the following day.
After employees reported the sighting, Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity Plant Quarantine Branch inspectors placed traps around the harbor property, according to KITV.
Inspectors found the opossum in a trap on September 20. A subsequent search found no other opossums in the area, the outlet reported.
What Happens Next for the Captured Animal
The opossum was humanely euthanized and submitted for rabies testing, according to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Hawaii is the only U.S. state free of rabies, according to the Hawaii Department of Health.
Why the state responds quickly
The State of Hawaii Department of Agriculture defines rapid response as immediate survey, control and eradication measures intended to detect, capture or eliminate a single invasive-species threat before it becomes established, according to its Biosecurity Program report.
The Honolulu capture follows another opossum interception at a freight warehouse near Hilo Harbor in August, according to KITV 4 Island News.
How to Report a Sighting
State officials ask anyone who spots an opossum or another illegal animal to call the statewide toll-free pest hotline at 808-643-7378, the outlet reported.
