An opossum was caught at a big-box store in Kona over the weekend.

On January 4, the store contacted the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) and reported that they had trapped an opossum in an animal trap.

An agriculture inspector from the Plant Quarantine Branch (PQB) retrieved the animal and arranged for it to be transported to Honolulu.

The opossum has been identified as a male weighing about six pounds. Because the origin of the animal is unknown, it has been humanely euthanized, which is required to test for rabies.

Opossums are native to North America and are omnivorous, with diets that range from insects, bird eggs and rodents, to fruits and vegetables. Although opossums are less likely to carry rabies than other mammals, they are carriers of parasites and other diseases.

Anyone spotting an illegal animal should call the statewide toll-free PEST HOTLINE at 808-643-PEST (7378).

Photo credit: Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture