Live Gopher Snake Found at Home Depot on O’ahu

Workforce of an O‘ahu property enhancement retail outlet got a slithery surprise from a pallet hitchhiker before this 7 days.

In accordance to a information release from the condition Division of Agriculture, a are living snake was captured late Wednesday night, July 6, at the Kapolei Home Depot. Honolulu law enforcement officers, responding to a 911 connect with from retail outlet staff at about 11 p.m., used a bucket to seize the snake, which was noticed on a pallet in a shipping and delivery container of blended items.

The snake was taken to the Kapolei Law enforcement Station, in which agricultural inspectors from the DOA took custody Thursday early morning, July 7. Agriculture inspectors from the DOA Plant Quarantine Branch also went to the keep to study the location and educated the keep to call the DOA if any other hitchhiking animals have been noticed.

The snake, recognized by reptile industry experts as a non-venomous juvenile gopher snake, steps about 21 inches prolonged. Gopher snakes are observed in North The united states and can grow up to about 7 toes. Their diet regime is made up of modest rodents, younger rabbits, lizards, birds and their eggs. The snakes get rid of their prey by constriction and suffocation.

Snakes are illegal to have in Hawai‘i. They have no normal predators and pose a significant menace to the state’s ecosystem.

The DOA reminds the general public that these with illegal animals can flip them in beneath the state’s Amnesty System to any DOA workplace, the Honolulu Zoo, the Pana‘ewa Zoo in Hilo or any humane society, no thoughts questioned and no fines assessed. The greatest penalty under state regulation for possession and/or transporting unlawful animals is a Class C felony, punishable by up to a $200,000 great and up to 3 many years in jail.

Any one with info about unlawful animals need to simply call the statewide toll-free of charge Pest Hotline at 808-643-PEST (7378). Sightings or captures of unlawful animals or invasive species should really also be described to the hotline.