Skunk captured after stowing away in shipment to Hawaii

Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Agricultural officials in Hawaii said workers unloading a shipment of ceramic tiles on Maui made a smelly discovery -- a stowaway skunk.

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture said inspectors from its Maui Plant Quarantine Branch were contacted last week by workers at a Kahului company after they detected a foul odor in the shipping container and caught a glimpse of the live skunk.

The inspectors set a pair of traps and were able to capture the 5-pound skunk, which was sent for rabies testing in Oahu.

"We appreciate the quick reaction of the trucking crew in containing the animal and contacting HDOA inspectors," said Phyllis Shimabukuro-Geiser, acting chair of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture. "Had the animal escaped from the container, it would have been a much larger problem and we are grateful for their awareness and cooperation."

Stevedores at Honolulu Harbor's Pier 1 previously captured a live skunk that apparently stowed away in a shipment in February 2018. The incident marked the first time a live skunk had been captured in Hawaii.