Hawai'i "Facts" on MPI

[Scotophor]

Several "facts" about Hawai'i have been mentioned on the show and I was wondering if they are all true.

Here are the ones I remember:
There are no railroads in Hawai'i. (I find this hard to believe - even some small island nations in the Caribbean have railroads.)
There is no quicksand in Hawai'i. (Rick, stand up! It's not quicksand, it's a bog.)
There are no snakes in Hawai'i. (The Legend of the Lost Art - cut to scene of Magnum and the damsel of the week trapped in a snake pit.)

Anyone care to add more, or add details? For example, I know that actual quicksand is very rare and only occurs in a few places on earth, and is not nearly as dangerous as Hollywood would have us believe, so that one is probably true. Also, are there literally ZERO snakes in Hawai'i, or just none native (are snakes allowed to be imported as pets or for zoos)?

[KENJI]

Hi Scotophor,
There are no snakes in Hawaii - true......as for ZERO snakes as pets.....I would bet there are at least one or two that have been smuggled in....they are really strict at the border...I think you can receive 3yrs in jail and face up to $200,000 in fines if you are caught with one(that's what I've heard). As for no quicksand...I would say true......I've done a lot of hiking there and never found any......deep bogs yes, but no to quicksand. As for no railroads....that is false....there used to be quite a few smaller scale train systems hauling sugarcane back in the day, but most of them are gone....I've been on a restored one in Maui that does a small tour http://www.sugarcanetrain.com/ and I believe there is another one on Oahu http://wwwhawaiianrailway.com/....Kauai ....http://www.kauaiplantationrailway.com/rrhist.htm.
On Oahu they have also started a transit line http://reason.com/reasontv/2013/08/01/h ... boondoggle.

[Higgins (aka Bondtoys)]

There is a train at the Dole plantation

[Frodoleader]

Hi Scotophor,
There are no snakes in Hawaii - true......
On Oahu they have also started a transit line http://reason.com/reasontv/2013/08/01/h ... boondoggle.

I know there is huge concern about the Brown Snake hitchhiking to Hawai'i on cargo ships and planes. I read where a dead one was found on the tarmac of the airport.
Regarding the transit line, my firm is working on this project as we speak (or type…). Unfortunately my employer cannot find a reason for me to go and inspect the work!

[KENJI]

Here is another interesting story regarding trains in Hawaii.http://www.ctamachinery.com/what-is-cam ... ent-a.html

[Rembrandt's Girl]

Also, are there literally ZERO snakes in Hawai'i, or just none native (are snakes allowed to be imported as pets or for zoos)?

The Honolulu Zoo has a “Reptile House” where they have the only legal snakes in the state. The zoo is celebrating its 100th Anniversary so one of the local news stations was visiting yesterday morning. Here’s a pic of the zoo’s 9' albino Burmese python…

[The Birdman]

Snakes: (yes, 1 native species)
http://www.explorebiodiversity.com/Hawa ... Snakes.htm

[The Birdman]

Railroad:
http://www.hawaiianrailway.com/
It's called google my friend.

[J.J. Walters]

There are no seagulls in Hawaii.

[Rembrandt's Girl]

…and no rabies and no billboards!