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Opossum found in shipping container raises concerns about growing threat in Hawaii

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Opossum found in shipping container raises concerns about growing threat in Hawaii


HONOLULU (KHON2) — An opossum discovered Tuesday in a shipping container was the second live opossum in a month found in Hawaii, raising the concerns about the growing threat of invasive species in our islands.

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KHON2 raised the question, ‘what’s bringing the animal here and what’s being done to prevent them from ending up in Hawaii in the first place?’

“It was relatively small, so it’s probably a juvenile, I think male, so one-and-a-half to two-feet,” said Jonathan Ho, acting manager for the Plant Quarantine Branch at the State Department of Agriculture.

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The four-legged stowaway captured Tuesday while small, poses a huge risk to the delicate ecosystem of the islands as omnivores and carriers of parasites.

The opossum was tested for rabies, as was the one caught last month on a window ledge of an office building in downtown Honolulu.

In all, there have been 7 opossums captured in Hawaii since 2005 and they’ve all been in the summer months.

Experts speculate the animals are looking for cooler shelter.

Opossum captured in downtown Honolulu

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“Anecdotally it’s hot. They’re basically looking for shelter. Containers are open when these guys are doing their loading or it’s inside a pallet they get placed in and they get a trip to Hawaii,” said Ho.

This discovery highlights a broader issue of the inspection and prevention efforts in Hawaii.

The State has no jurisdiction on inspections outside of the islands, the sole responsibility of capturing these invasive species falls on the State DOAG. The challenge for inspectors are the same as with all State departments: not enough money or resources.

While the department’s general fund was given a significant boost of $19.2 million dollars for combating invasive species this past legislative session, with 4 to 5,000 containers arriving in Hawaii a week, and only around 65 inspectors statewide, the chances of these unwelcomed critters slipping through are real.

A consistant stream of funding is what Ho said would be more effective.

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“Just trying to really manage constant pressure when you’re kind of year to year is really not an efficient way to really manage this problem, because it’s not going to stop. We’re going to continually import, you know, opossums or whatever is going to be in containers,” continued Ho.

For now, the Department of Agriculture says education is the easiest solution.

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Anyone spotting an illegal animal should call the statewide pest hotline at 808-643-PEST (7378).

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Community memorial service for Kazuo Todd today in Hilo – West Hawaii Today

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Community memorial service for Kazuo Todd today in Hilo – West Hawaii Today


The funeral procession for deceased Fire Chief Kazuo Todd with pass-in-review for Hawaii Fire Department firefighters took place Saturday morning at HFD Administration in the County Building on Aupuni Street in Hilo.





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What’s Cooking: Celebrating Lunar New Year with Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood

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What’s Cooking: Celebrating Lunar New Year with Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood


HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A family-run Chinese restaurant in Honolulu’s Chinatown is gearing up for Lunar New Year festivities.

Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood Restaurant owner Karen Tam and her son Kirave Liang joined HNN’s Sunrise to showcase their dim sum and Chinese specialties.

Lunar New Year specials include a special jai with 18 vegetarian ingredients and the sweet, sticky, steamed rice cake gau in brown sugar and coconut flavors, which symbolize good fortune and prosperity.

”We eat food with a lucky meaning to start the great year,” Tam said. “We have jin dui (sesame balls) every day.“

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Feb. 17 marks the start of the year of the Fire Horse, when families gather to celebrate with big meals and auspicious dishes. Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood will offer set party menus and special orders for foods not commonly found in Honolulu, such as whole stuffed duck, braised abalone in oyster sauce, and basin meal.

“It’s the biggest fest of the year. We celebrate Chinese New Year by eating with family in a round table,“ Tam said.

Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood also has private rooms with karaoke systems and a banquet hall to accommodate small family gatherings to large parties.

Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood is located on 111 N. King St. and is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, There is street parking and paid parking behind the restaurant on Nimitz and Maunakea.

For more information, visit hawaiidimsumseafood.com or follow on Instagram @hawaiidimsumseafood.

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Hawaii suffers first defeat of the season against Loyola Chicago | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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Hawaii suffers first defeat of the season against Loyola Chicago | Honolulu Star-Advertiser




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