An uninvited visitor arrived in the islands this weekend. A possum stowed away on a Polar Air flight from Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
“It’s actually, to my recollection, the first possum we’ve found. We’ve found other types of animals, snakes, or squirrels, or whatever. But, at least the first possum in quite a while,” said Neil Reimer of the state Plant and Animal Quarantine.
The possum arrived on Sunday. It survived the flight, but it was captured and eventually killed.
It’s now being tested for rabies at the quarantine station.
Opossums are native to North America and could cause a problem if a pregnant female or a pair got loose in Hawaii. Opossums eat insects, bird eggs and fruits and if established, could cause environmental damage.