The Maui News

Small snake caught slithering away from visitor’s backpack

- By LEE IMADA Managing Editor

A small snake that apparently hitchhiked in a vacationer’s backpack was captured in a vacation rental in Pukalani on Monday, the state Department of Agricultur­e said Wednesday.

The footlong, ™-inch diameter snake was determined to be a nonvenomou­s southern black racer (Coluber constricto­r priapus). These snakes are found mainly in Florida and the eastern U.S. and may grow up to 6 feet long, the Agricultur­e Department said.

The snake’s diet consists of mainly frogs, lizards, snakes, rodents and birds and their eggs.

The snake was seen slithering out of a newly arrived visitor’s backpack Monday evening. The owner of the rental told the visitor and others staying in the rental that bringing snakes into Hawaii is illegal, the Agricultur­e Department said.

Together, they cornered and captured the snake, called police and held it in a cup until police arrived, said Janelle Saneishi, public informatio­n officer of the Agricultur­e Department, on Wednesday.

The police contacted Fern Duvall, program manager of the Native Ecosystem Protection Management — Maui Nui program of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, who responded to the unit with police and helped to detain the snake overnight.

The snake was delivered to the Agricultur­e Department quarantine center at Kahului Airport early Tuesday morning and was being safely held there until it can be transporte­d to Honolulu. Saneishi was not sure when the transport would take place.

After arriving on Oahu, the snake will be held by the Agricultur­e De

partment for “educationa­l purposes,” Saneishi said. The Honolulu Zoo currently has its quota of two male snakes so it won’t go there.

She said that the Agricultur­e Department periodical­ly sends batches of illegal animals back to the Mainland to sanctuarie­s. The department is not allowed to hand animals over to individual­s.

Duvall determined the type of snake it was in consultati­on with an expert on the Mainland. He believes the snake was a newborn, recently hatched from an egg.

Agricultur­e Department Plant Quarantine inspectors interviewe­d the visitor and the property owner Tuesday morning, and it appears the snake was a stowaway and not purposely transporte­d to Hawaii, the Agricultur­e Department said. The visitor, a 20-year-old man from Virginia, had just arrived Monday night from Florida and had put his backpack on the floor in the rental when the snake slithered out.

“It is fortunate that the owner of the rental was aware of the seriousnes­s of the snake being transporte­d to Hawaii and took appropriat­e action and reported it,” said Phyllis Shimabukur­o-Geiser, chairwoman of the state Board of Agricultur­e. “Visitors to our islands may not fully understand the threat that snakes pose to our community and our unique environmen­t. It takes all of us to protect Hawaii.”

Snakes have no natural predators in Hawaii and pose a serious threat to Hawaii’s environmen­t. Many species prey on birds and their eggs, increasing the threat to endangered native birds. Venomous and large snakes are also a danger to humans, pets and other animals, the Agricultur­e Department said.

“Be informed about the very special place you live that is Hawaii,” said Duvall. “We should pay attention to what plants and animals we see, report things you feel are new to you as prevention is so much more important than having to react to establishe­d foreign pests out of control.”

Individual­s who see or know of illegal animals in Hawaii are encouraged to contact the state’s toll-free pest hotline at 643-PEST (7378) or turn them in under the state’s amnesty program.

The maximum penalty under state law for possession and/or knowingly transporti­ng illegal animals is a Class C felony, $200,000 fine and up to three years in prison.

 ?? Hawaii Department of Agricultur­e photo ?? This nonvenomou­s snake, identified as a southern black racer (Coluber constricto­r priapus), slithered out of the backpack of a Virginia visitor Monday night at a vacation rental in Pukalani. It was captured and is being held by the state Department of Agricultur­e.
Hawaii Department of Agricultur­e photo This nonvenomou­s snake, identified as a southern black racer (Coluber constricto­r priapus), slithered out of the backpack of a Virginia visitor Monday night at a vacation rental in Pukalani. It was captured and is being held by the state Department of Agricultur­e.
 ?? Hawaii Department of Agricultur­e photo ?? This brown-colored southern black racer snake appears to be a newborn measuring about a foot long and 1/4 inch in diameter. They are mainly found in Florida and the eastern half of the U.S. and may grow up to 6 feet in length.
Hawaii Department of Agricultur­e photo This brown-colored southern black racer snake appears to be a newborn measuring about a foot long and 1/4 inch in diameter. They are mainly found in Florida and the eastern half of the U.S. and may grow up to 6 feet in length.

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