Governor Josh Green, M.D.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

ʻOIHANA MAHIʻAI

 

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

KIAʻĀINA
                                                                       

SHARON HURD
CHAIRPERSON

HAWAI`I BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                       

NR24-12

April 16, 2024

 

LIVE SNAKE FOUND BY HONOLULU POLICE AT A WAIPAHU HOME

HONOLULU – Officers from the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) found a live snake in a Waipahu home on Saturday morning, April 13, while on a wellness check involving a deceased male. HPD contacted the Plant Quarantine Branch (PQB) of the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and inspectors were immediately dispatched to the scene and took custody of the non-venomous ball python, which measured about 3-and-a-half feet long. The sex of the snake has not been determined and is being safeguarded at the PQB.

 

Snakes are illegal to transport and possess in Hawai‘i and the incident has been forwarded the Department of the Attorney General. Individuals possessing illegal animals may be charged with a class C felony, face fines of up to $200,000, and three years in prison.

 

“We should all be very concerned that snakes are being transported and kept by residents which are a serious threat to Hawai‘i’s unique environment,” said Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawai‘i Board of Agriculture. “Those who know anyone with snakes or other illegal animals in Hawai‘i should report it and those who possess them should turn them in under amnesty.

”The state’s Amnesty Program was established to help prevent illegal animals from being released into the wild where it could be devastating if populations become established,” Hurd added.

 

Under the Amnesty Program, illegal animals may be turned in to any HDOA office, any municipal zoo or aquarium, or the Hawaiian Humane Society. If illegal animals are turned in prior to the start of an investigation, no criminal charges or fines will be assessed. Animals turned in under amnesty will not be euthanized. Depending on the species, illegal animals may be used for educational purposes, transferred to a municipal zoo or relocated to an appropriate facility on the mainland.

 

Ball pythons may grow up to six feet in length. They are common in the pet trade and are native to Western and West-Central Africa. Ball pythons are constrictors that coil around its prey and kill by suffocation. A ball python’s diet typically consists of small mammals and birds.

Snakes and large reptiles have no natural predators in Hawai‘i. Many species also prey on birds and their eggs, increasing the threat to our endangered native birds. They also compete with native animals for food and habitat. Large snakes may also be a threat to humans and small pets.

Anyone with information about illegal animals should call the statewide toll-free PEST HOTLINE at (808) 643-PEST (7378). 

 

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Attachments: 2 photos, credit HDOA

Media Contact:
Janelle Saneishi, Public Information Officer
Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture
808-973-9560
[email protected]
http://hdoa.hawaii.gov

 

 

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For more information, including language accessibility and filing a complaint, please contact HDOA Non-Discrimination Coordinator at 808-973-9591, or visit HDOA’s website at http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/.

 

To request translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, or other auxiliary aids or services for this document, contact the HDOA at 808-973-9591 or email [email protected].

 

 

Paʻa ka manaʻo o ka HDOA ma hope o ka pāpā loa ʻana i ka hoʻokae, ʻimi mākaia, a hoʻopilikia ʻana no kō ke kanaka lāhui, ʻili, keka, ʻāina, kūlana makahiki, kīnānā, a mea ʻokoʻa aʻe i kaʻa ma lalo o nā kānāwai pekelala a mokuʻāina, ma kona mau papahana a hanana.

 

No kekahi ʻike hou aku, e laʻa nā lawelawe unuhi ʻōlelo a me ka waiho ʻana i palapala hoʻopiʻi, e hoʻohui ʻoe me HDOA ma -808-973-9591, a i ʻole e kipa aku i kō ka HDOA kaha pūnaewele ma http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/.

 

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Para iti ad-adu pay nga impormasion, kairamanan ti aksesibilidad ti lengguahe ken panagidatag iti reklamo, maidawat a kontaken ti HDOA iti 808-973-9591, wenno bisitaen ti website ti HDOA iti http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/.

 

Tapno agkiddaw iti panagipatarus, interpretasion, modipikasion, akomodasion, wenno dadduma pay a pangtulong a tulong wenno serbisio para iti daytoy a dokumento, kontaken ti Opisina ti Mangidadaulo iti HDOA iti 808-973-9591 wenno ag-email iti [email protected].

 

 

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ເພື່ອຂໍການແປ, ການຕີຄວາມ, ການດັດແປງ, ການ ອຳ ນວຍຄວາມສະດວກ ຫຼື ເຄື່ອງຊ່ວຍ ຫຼື ການຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອບໍລິການເສີມອື່ນໆ ສຳລັບເອກະສານນີ້, ຕິດຕໍ່ຫ້ອງການ HDOA ຂອງປະທານ ທີ່

808-973-9591 ຫຼື ສົ່ງອີເມວຫາ [email protected].

 

 

夏威夷州農業部門在舉辦任何計劃或活動致力於維護一個不受種族、膚色、性別、國籍、年齡, 殘障或受聯邦及州法律保護的任何其他類別而受到歧視、報復或騷擾的環境。

 

如需更多資訊，包括語言無障礙和提交投訴，請致電 808-973-9591 聯絡夏威夷州農業部門，或瀏覽網站 http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ 。

 

如對本文有以下相關需要 (翻譯、解讀、修改、調整或其他輔充的服務) 請致電

808-973-9591 或發送電子郵件至  [email protected].

 

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Para sa karagdagang impormasyon, kasama na ang kahandaang mai-access ng wika at pagsasampa ng reklamo, mangyaring makipag-ugnayan sa HDOA sa 808-973-9591, o bisitahin ang website ng HDOA sa http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ .

 

Upang humiling ng pagsasalin, interpretasyon, pagbabago, akomodasyon, o iba pang mga pantulong na tulong o serbisyo para sa dokumentong ito, makipag-ugnayan sa Opisina ng Tagapangulo ng HDOA sa 808-973-9591 o mag-email sa [email protected].

 

 

HDOA มุ่งมั่นที่จะรักษาสภาพแวดล้อมให้ปราศจากการเลือกปฏิบัติ การตอบโต้ หรือการล่วงละเมิดทาง เชื้อชาติ สีผิว เพศ ชาติกำเนิด อายุ หรือความทุพพลภาพ หรือประเภทอื่นใดที่ได้รับการคุ้มครองภายใต้กฎหมายของรัฐบาลกลางหรือของรัฐ ในส่วนที่เกี่ยวกับโครงการใดๆ หรือกิจกรรม

 

สำหรับข้อมูลเพิ่มเติม รวมถึงการเข้าถึงภาษาและการยื่นเรื่องร้องเรียน โปรดติดต่อ HDOA ที่ 808-973-9591 หรือเยี่ยมชมเว็บไซต์ของ HDOA ที่ http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/

 

หากต้องการขอการแปล ล่ามภาษา การปรับเปลี่ยน ที่พัก หรือความช่วยเหลือหรือบริการสำหรับเอกสารนี้ โปรดติดต่อสำนักงาน HDOA ของประธานที่ 808-973-9591 หรืออีเมล [email protected].