Live skunk caught at harbor
By Kayli Pascal-Martinez
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HILO, Hawaii (KITV) — A live skunk was captured at Hilo Harbor last Friday, November 7, after being spotted by shipping company workers around Pier 1.
According to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, inspectors were dispatched to the pier Thursday morning after reports of the skunk. While initial attempts to barricade the animal failed, inspectors later trapped it using cat food inside a shipping container.
The skunk was humanely euthanized for rabies testing, though previous captures in Hawaii have tested negative for the virus. Skunks pose a threat to native ground-nesting birds due to their egg-eating habits and are prohibited in the state.
Officials believe the skunk may have arrived as a stowaway on a cargo ship. Other skunks have been captured at various locations in the state, including Honolulu Harbor and Maui, with none testing positive for rabies.
Residents are urged to report sightings of invasive species to the state’s Pest Hotline at 808-643-PEST (7378).
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