State agriculture officials reported that an illegal ferret was captured by a resident early Sunday morning in the parking lot of Coqui’s Hideaway Restaurant & Sports Bar in Hilo. 

The animal was turned in to Hawaii Island Humane Society later that day and then given to inspectors at the Hilo office of the state Department of Agriculture on Monday. 

The ferret was flown to Honolulu Tuesday and is at the Plant Quarantine Branch where it may be used for educational purposes until it can be shipped out of the state.