Possum Found in Hobart Airport Gift Shop

A wild Australian brushtail possum surprised shoppers at Hobart Airport in Tasmania on Wednesday when it was discovered perched among stuffed toy versions of native animals in the departure terminal's gift shop.

The marsupial, blending seamlessly with plush kangaroos, bilbies, dingoes and Tasmanian devils on a display shelf, was first spotted by a browsing passenger around 11:45 a.m. local time. The passenger alerted a staff member, who initially struggled to believe the report and promptly notified airport management. "We've got a possum in the store," the staffer said, according to Liam Bloomfield, the retail manager at the Lagardère AWPL duty-free outlet.

Staff captured video footage of the calm animal with a mobile phone before it grew wary of the attention and wandered out of the shop. Airport employees then escorted the possum safely from the secure terminal area without incident, ensuring no disruptions to travelers. Bloomfield noted that passengers grew excited, following the creature with their own videos as it moved through the terminal.

The exact path the possum took to enter the shop remains unclear. Given the security screening required for the departure lounge,...