HILO, Hawaii (KHON2) -- On November 30, the executive director from Nēnē Research and Conservation was wrapping up routine survey's of nēnē at Queen Liliuokalani Park in Hilo when he noticed three dead zebra doves on the ground. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Jordan Lerma said one dove appeared to be run over by a lawn mower from a nearby county maintenance worker, but there were two other doves near it on the sidewalk that were dead and had no visible injuries. "We called the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, their hotline, and no one answered their hotline number," explained Jordan Lerma. "So we called the second number on their hotline, and they basically told us that [infected flocks] don't have a presence on Hawaii Island as of November 30, and they didn't provide any instructions on what to do with the carcass. They, you know, just, basically just said to leave it there." Lerma didn't leave the birds there because it was about 200 yards away from a nēnē nest, and ever since avian flu was detected on Oahu, he said he acted as if avian flu was on all islands. "Given that proximity, and, you know, just assuming that the carcass, the dead doves, were positive for H5N1, we called east Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife and thankfully their biologist is on it and he drove straight down there, picked up the carcass, you know, double bagged it," Lerma continued. He was told HDOA had advised DOFAW not to test the birds for H5N1. Two days later, on Dec. 2, a wastewater sample was collected from Hilo's wastewater treatment plant which is located less than two miles from where the dead doves were found. The sample came back positive for avian flu. "It's just frightening, I mean we see what's happening on the continent with other species like cackling geese and Canada geese, and it can be an extinction level event for some species that are only found in Hawaii and that's the worrying part for me," Lerma added. He hopes the community can be on alert and report any dead bird sightings immediately. H5N1 Avian Influenza linked to Mililani Pet Fair In the meantime, his organization have been taking extra precautions to ensure the virus doesn't spread. "We're decontaminating our shoes and our cars before we move from one site, so the Hakalau population, for example, or Volcano to the other side of the island, we want to minimize the potential that if the virus has somehow gotten onto our equipment or our cars, we don't spread it to another part of the island," he explained. He said the group also washes their gear and keeps a far distance from protected species. The Dept. of Agriculture confirmed the zebra doves in Hilo were not tested, and said all islands should be aware of the possibility of avian flu. The DOA said residents are encouraged to report sightings of dead birds, which appear unusual, to the appropriate agency, adding agencies may not be able to respond to all calls, but people can read information on birds here. How can I report sick or dead birds? 1. Death of individual birds: Owners of backyard poultry flocks should NOT report individual bird deaths the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA). Consultation with a local veterinarian is recommended.2. Sudden onset of multiple deaths in commercial poultry or backyard poultry operations should be reported to: Animal Industry Division Phone: 808-483-7100 during normal business hours, or 808-837-8092 outside of business hours email: [email protected] Birds (parrots, parakeets, canaries, etc.): Contact your local veterinarian for both individual and multiple bird deaths. Seabirds or native bird species: Contact the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR): Phone: 808-587-0166 or email: [email protected]. While the risk to humans remains low, officials fear the virus could impact Hawaii's native birds. "The doctors were telling me that we do worry about our native birds like the nēnē because they are with other birds, so we could see a threat to our bird population which is why we'll be monitoring it very carefully," said Governor Dr. Josh Green. Bird flu is spreading, but should you be worried? On Friday, state agencies sent out a press release urging the public to voluntarily pause the interisland movement of poultry and other bird species for 90 days, effective immediately. The DOA said the strain in Hawaii was likely introduced by migrating birds from northern regions around Alaska. The DOA added that at Senator Lynn DeCoite’s request, the agencies are also collecting data to assess the feasibility and necessity of a formal quarantine while carefully considering the potential economic impacts of premature restrictions on local products. State Senator and veterinarian Dr. Tim Richards of Hawaii island said: “As both a senator and a veterinarian, I understand the critical balance between protecting our agricultural industries and safeguarding animal health. In light of the ongoing avian flu threat, I fully support a voluntary 90-day stop movement of birds as a precautionary measure. Similar actions have been successfully implemented before, such as the voluntary halt in Hawai‘i’s beef cattle industry approximately 15 years ago, which effectively mitigated risks to trichomoniasis and protected livelihoods until legislation could be brought forward. By taking proactive steps now, we can prevent greater harm to our poultry industry and ensure the health of our flocks and communities.” The Panaewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens is also making changes due to Avian flu. "In the zoo profession, we are always preparing for biosecurity events like the bird flu," said zoo administrator Mindy Runnells. "Many cleaning and disinfecting protocols that we already have in place are designed to prevent illness, this is just adding some steps as a safety precaution." Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news The zoo announced these changes: The petting zoo will not have birds available for visiting.The zoo is not accepting animal donations.