A live opossum was discovered Sunday night in a trash bin on U.S. Postal Service property at Honolulu International Airport.

The 15-pound, 24-inch-long animal was the second opossum captured in the airport area in the past three months. On June 19, a 12-inch-long opossum was discovered on a chartered Polar Air aircraft from Travis Air Force Base that was being unloaded at Hickam Air Force Base.

A postal worker discovered the second marsupial in an area where surface mail arriving via container ships is offloaded.

Sandra Lee Kunimoto, chairwoman of the Hawai'i Board of Agriculture, credited quick action by airport-area workers with the capture of both opossums.

"Workers at all ports of entry are an important line of defense against the introduction of invasive species," she said, "and we appreciate the postal workers' alertness and responsiveness."

Opossums are native to North America and are omnivorous. While less likely to carry rabies than other mammals, opossums are carriers of parasites and diseases, Kunimoto said.

The opossums, both males, were euthanized. Tests for rabies on the opossum found June 19 were negative and officials are awaiting results on tests on the second opossum.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.