Courtesy of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture HDOA has identified the 2-foot reptile as a non-venomous gopher snake.
Courtesy of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture HDOA has identified the 2-foot reptile as a non-venomous gopher snake.
State officials say a live snake was found in a container of Christmas trees this weekend when it was unloaded in front of a store in Hilo.
The Hawaii Department of Agriculture said store employees found the snake Saturday morning. They unloaded about half of the container before they saw it, immediately closed the doors and called the department.
HDOA has identified the 2-foot-long reptile as a non-venomous gopher snake. No other snakes were found during additional checks on the Christmas trees and the container.
“While Plant Quarantine Inspectors open and conduct an inspection of every container of Christmas trees and wreaths that arrive, we do not have the resources to inspect every item in every container,” said Sharon Hurd, HDOA president, in a news release. “We appreciate the quick management of the hose by store personnel and the quick response from our Hilo staff.”
The gopher snake has been taken into custody and will eventually be transported to Honolulu.
Snakes are illegal in Hawaii because of the threat they pose to the islands’ environment, officials said, and the threat they pose to many species of birds and eggs, especially endangered native birds. Because there are no natural predators in Hawaii, they would compete with native animals for food and habitat.
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HDOA said it expects to receive an estimated 135 containers of Christmas trees and wreaths in Hawaii this holiday season. So far this year, approximately 88 trees have arrived, with approximately 46,450 trees.
Anyone who finds illegal animals such as snakes should report it to the state’s toll-free pest hotline at 808-643-PEST (7378).
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