BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif., Aug. 10 (Our Hesperia) — Bald eagle Jackie, a familiar presence on a livestreamed nest in California’s Big Bear Valley, died Aug. 10 after more than three weeks of intensive medical care, the Ojai Raptor Center said.
The center identified the bird as Patient 26-519. It said Jackie’s health continued to worsen despite treatment by its veterinary staff and consulting specialists. She received oxygen, supportive care and continuous monitoring in the center’s intensive care unit.
Her remains were transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, according to the Ojai Raptor Center. The center said it was preparing a more detailed statement about her treatment and test results in coordination 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 been found weak and unable to fly near the Dana Point Park area by Big Bear Lake after what officials described as a fight or altercation with two younger eagles.
The Ojai Raptor Center’s medical updates said initial bloodwork showed severe anemia and inflammation affecting her kidneys. Anemia means the blood does not have enough red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen through the body.
Jackie received a blood transfusion and other intensive treatments. Reports also said veterinarians used advanced diagnostic procedures, including a contrast CT scan and a bone marrow biopsy. The available updates did not provide the results of those tests.
Chris Eksteen, the center’s executive director, told the Los Angeles Times that the fight may have left Jackie unable to fly but did not explain the symptoms that led to her decline. “What we are seeing suggests that she has been unwell for some time before she was found,” Eksteen said.
How serious was her anemia?
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 monitor anemia.
The Ojai Raptor Center reported that Jackie’s PCV fell to 13% on Aug. 3. It dropped below 6% on Aug. 8, then rose to 9% the next day. The center said a desired level was above 30%.
The Aug. 9 update described the increase as a small improvement but said Jackie remained critically ill and unstable. She died in the early hours of Aug. 10.
The center said a collaborative team that helped evaluate her care included nine veterinarians, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
What is known about the cause of death?
The Ojai Raptor Center has not announced the cause of Jackie’s illness or death in the updates described by the available reports. The results of diagnostic testing, including the CT scan and bone marrow biopsy, have not been released.
The available information also does not say whether a necropsy or toxicology testing was conducted. Those findings could help determine what caused the anemia, kidney inflammation and broader decline, but no conclusions should be drawn before officials release them.
Why was Jackie well known?
Jackie was associated with a nest in Big Bear Valley and appeared with her partner, Shadow, on livestream cameras operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley. The cameras allowed viewers to follow the eagles’ activity and helped make Jackie widely recognized beyond the California mountain community.
Her death concerns one identified bird. The information released so far does not include population-monitoring data or research showing that her illness reflects a broader trend among bald eagles. It also does not link her death to a weather event or climate change.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife now has custody of Jackie’s remains. The Ojai Raptor Center said additional information about her treatment and testing would be released as it works with state and federal wildlife agencies.
