January 7, 2025
Kona — An opossum was captured over the weekend at a big-box store in Kona, prompting a swift response from the Hawai’i Department of Agriculture (HDOA). The store reported the incident around 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 4, after successfully trapping the animal in an on-site animal trap.
An inspector from the Plant Quarantine Branch (PQB) in Kona responded early Sunday morning to retrieve the opossum. The animal, identified as a male weighing approximately six pounds, was subsequently transported to Honolulu for further handling.
Due to the uncertainty surrounding the opossum’s origin, the animal was humanely euthanized to allow for rabies testing, following established protocols.
This incident is part of a pattern, with opossums occasionally being discovered in Hawai‘i:
- August 2024: An opossum was caught at a Kalihi freight company after being spotted inside a shipping container.
- July 2024: Another opossum was found on a window ledge of a downtown Honolulu office building.
- June 2016: Workers offloading a cargo ship at Honolulu Harbor captured an opossum.
- July 2015: An opossum was found near the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Office in Kaka‘ako.
- July 2012: A Sand Island warehouse trapped an opossum.
- August 2011: An opossum was found in a shipping container at the Ward Center area.
- 2005: Two opossums were captured – one inside a military cargo plane at Hickam Air Force Base and another in the mail receiving area of the U.S. Postal Service facility at Honolulu International Airport.
Opossums, native to North America, are omnivorous creatures whose diet includes insects, bird eggs, rodents, fruits, and vegetables. Although they are less likely to transmit rabies compared to other mammals, they can carry parasites and other diseases.
The HDOA urges the public to report sightings of illegal animals by calling the statewide toll-free PEST HOTLINE at 808-643-PEST (7378).
This ongoing vigilance is crucial for protecting Hawai‘i’s unique ecosystem from non-native species.