Live Gopher Snake Found at Home Depot on O’ahu

Employees of an O‘ahu residence advancement retail outlet received a slithery surprise from a pallet hitchhiker previously this week.

In accordance to a news release from the point out Section of Agriculture, a live snake was captured late Wednesday night time, July 6, at the Kapolei Residence Depot. Honolulu police officers, responding to a 911 connect with from store personnel at about 11 p.m., utilized a bucket to seize the snake, which was noticed on a pallet in a transport container of combined products.

The snake was taken to the Kapolei Police Station, in which agricultural inspectors from the DOA took custody Thursday morning, July 7. Agriculture inspectors from the DOA Plant Quarantine Branch also went to the retailer to survey the area and informed the retailer to call the DOA if any other hitchhiking animals were spotted.

The snake, recognized by reptile specialists as a non-venomous juvenile gopher snake, measures about 21 inches long. Gopher snakes are discovered in North America and can develop up to about 7 feet. Their diet program is composed of little rodents, youthful rabbits, lizards, birds and their eggs. The snakes eliminate their prey by constriction and suffocation.

Snakes are illegal to have in Hawai‘i. They have no organic predators and pose a serious danger to the state’s ecosystem.

The DOA reminds the general public that these with illegal animals can change them in underneath the state’s Amnesty Method to any DOA office environment, the Honolulu Zoo, the Pana‘ewa Zoo in Hilo or any humane modern society, no queries requested and no fines assessed. The most penalty under state law for possession and/or transporting illegal animals is a Course C felony, punishable by up to a $200,000 fantastic and up to 3 several years in prison.

Anybody with information and facts about unlawful animals ought to phone the statewide toll-absolutely free Pest Hotline at 808-643-PEST (7378). Sightings or captures of illegal animals or invasive species should really also be described to the hotline.