Department of Agriculture

For Immediate Release: December 6, 2004 NR04-20

SNAKE FOUND IN CHRISTMAS TREE SHIPPING CONTAINER

HONOLULU – A snake was found on Saturday, December 4th in a shipping container after Christmas trees were offloaded at the Daiei store in Kailua, Oahu. An agriculture inspector retrieved the 13-inch snake, which has tentatively been identified as a type of non-venomous garter snake.

Inspectors from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture have determined that the container of trees was shipped from a company in Beaver Creek, Oregon. The majority of Christmas trees bound for Hawaii are mechanically shaken and/or inspected prior to shipping from the Pacific Northwest. Inspectors from HDOA inspect each container of Christmas trees that arrive at the shipyards; however, inspectors are not able to inspect each tree individually. Snakes or unusual insects should be reported to the HDOA Pest Hotline at
586-PEST (7378).

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For more information, contact:

Janelle Saneishi
Public Information Officer
Hawaii Department of Agriculture
Phone: (808) 973-9560
E-mail: [email protected]