News Release (NR-11) from the Dept of Agriculture and Biosecurity

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

JOSH GREEN, M.D.

GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND BIOSECURITY

ʻOIHANA MAHIʻAI A KIAʻI MEAOLA

SHARON HURD

CHAIRPERSON

KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

DEAN M. MATSUKAWA

DEPUTY TO THE CHAIRPERSON

KA HOPE LUNA HOʻOKELE

OPOSSUM CAUGHT AT FREIGHT FORWARDING WAREHOUSE IN HONOLULU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                       

MAY 21, 2026

NR26-11

HONOLULU — A live opossum has been captured at a freight forwarding warehouse near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL).

At approximately 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, while checking cargo containers, a freight forwarder employee reported to the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) Animal Holding Facility at HNL that they saw an opossum inside a shipping container and immediately sealed it. Animal Holding Facility staff notified biosecurity inspectors from DAB’s Plant Quarantine Branch (PQB), who responded within the hour. Because the container was still fully loaded, staff were unable to safely capture the animal, but deployed traps with food and water in the container and resealed it.

On May 20, at approximately 10:45 a.m., PQB staff checked the container and found the animal in one of the deployed traps. Per animal and human health protocol, the opossum was humanely euthanized and submitted for rabies testing. A tissue sample is being sent to the mainland for testing. No other opossums were found.

Over the years, several opossums have been captured in Hawai‘i:

• November 2025 – an opossum was found at a car dealership on Maui.
• October 2025 – two opossums were captured by PQB inspectors at two separate locations at Honolulu Harbor.
• September 2025 – an opossum was captured by PQB inspectors at Hilo Harbor
• January 2025 – an opossum was caught at a big-box store in Kona
• December 2024 – an opossum was trapped by PQB inspectors at a big-box store in Iwilei on O‘ahu.
• August 2024 – an opossum was captured at a Kalihi freight company after workers saw it run into a shipping container.
• July 2024 – an opossum was captured on a window ledge of an office building in Downtown Honolulu.
• July 2016– an opossum was captured by workers offloading a cargo ship at Honolulu Harbor.
• July 2015 – an opossum was captured in Kaka‘ako near the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Office on Ala Moana Blvd., an area surrounded by arriving cargo.
• July 2012 –  an opossum was caught in an animal trap at a Sand Island warehouse.
• August  2011 – an opossum was found in a shipping container as it was being unloaded in the Ward Center area.

Opossums are native to North America and are omnivorous, with diets that range from insects, bird eggs and rodents, to fruits and vegetables. Although opossums are less likely to carry rabies than other mammals, they are carriers of parasites and other diseases.

Anyone spotting an illegal animal should call the statewide toll-free PEST HOTLINE at 808-643-PEST (7378).

NR26-11 Opossum photo.jpg

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