HONOLULU (AP) - The state Department of Agriculture says workers attempting to capture feral cats near Oahu's Sand Island found an opossum caught in 1 of their traps.

The department said Thursday its inspectors picked up the animal. It doesn't know how the opossum got to the area, but the animals have been known to hitchhike rides on shipping containers.

Opossums are native to North America and are not found in Hawaii. They have a wide-ranging diet, eating insects, bird eggs, and rodents as well as fruits and vegetables. They could pose a threat to Hawaii's endangered native birds.

Last year, workers unloading a shipping container at Ward Center in Honolulu found an opossum inside.

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