BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif., Aug. 10 (Our Hesperia) — Bald eagle Jackie, a familiar presence on livestream cameras at a nest in California’s Big Bear Valley, died Aug. 10 after her health continued to worsen during more than three weeks of intensive veterinary care, the Ojai Raptor Center said.
The bird, identified by the center as Patient 26-519, was being treated at the Ojai facility after she was rescued near Big Bear Lake. Her remains were transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the center said.
The cause of Jackie’s illness and death had not been announced. The Ojai Raptor Center said it planned to provide more information about her treatment and test results while working with state and federal wildlife officials.
What happened to Jackie?
Jackie was rescued July 17 by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation’s San Dimas Raptor Rescue team. She had reportedly been involved in a fight with two younger eagles near the Dana Point Park area by Big Bear Lake. She was found very sick and unable to fly.
Chris Eksteen, executive director of the Ojai Raptor Center, told the Los Angeles Times that the fight likely left Jackie grounded but did not explain her other symptoms. Eksteen said the bird appeared to have been ill for some time before she was found.
Initial bloodwork showed severe anemia and inflammation affecting the kidneys, according to a July 21 update from the Ojai Raptor Center. Anemia means the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen. The center gave Jackie a blood transfusion and later provided oxygen, other supportive care and continuous monitoring in an intensive care unit.
Her treatment was reviewed by a collaborative team that included nine veterinarians, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the center said. Reports also referenced advanced diagnostic testing, including a CT scan and bone marrow biopsy, but the results were not disclosed in the information released publicly.
Why were her blood levels important?
Veterinarians tracked Jackie’s packed cell volume, or PCV. This is the percentage of blood made up of red blood cells and is one measure used to assess anemia.
The Ojai Raptor Center said Jackie’s PCV fell to 13% on Aug. 3, dropped below 6% on Aug. 8 and rose to 9% on Aug. 9. The center said it wanted the level to be above 30%. Although the Aug. 9 reading was a small improvement, the center said Jackie remained critically ill and unstable.
The next day, the center said her condition had continued to deteriorate despite intensive treatment and the efforts of its veterinary staff and consulting specialists. She died in the early hours of Aug. 10.
Why was Jackie well known?
Jackie was associated with a nest in Big Bear Valley where she appeared with her longtime partner, Shadow. Cameras linked to Friends of Big Bear Valley allowed viewers to follow the nest and the eagles’ lives online.
That public connection made Jackie widely recognized beyond the Big Bear area. But her death, as described by the wildlife center, was a medical case involving one bird. The supplied information does not include population-monitoring data or other research showing that her illness or death reflects a broader change in California’s bald eagle population or environmental conditions.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife now has custody of Jackie’s remains. Officials have not publicly released findings on the cause of her illness, whether a necropsy or toxicology testing will be conducted, or when additional results may become available.
