BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif., Aug. 10 (Our Hesperia) — Bald eagle Jackie, a longtime resident of California’s Big Bear Valley and a familiar presence on nest livestreams, died Aug. 10 after her health continued to worsen during more than three weeks of intensive medical care, the Ojai Raptor Center said.
The eagle, listed by the center as Patient 26-519, was being treated at the Ojai facility after a July rescue near Big Bear Lake. Her remains were transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, according to the center.
What happened to Jackie?
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation’s San Dimas Raptor Rescue team rescued Jackie on July 17. She was found weak and unable to fly after what officials described as a fight or altercation with two subadult eagles near the Dana Point Park area by Big Bear Lake.
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 broader symptoms. He said the eagle appeared to have been ill for some time before she was found.
Initial bloodwork showed severe anemia and inflammation affecting her kidneys, according to a July 21 update from the Ojai Raptor Center. Anemia means the blood does not have enough red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry adequate oxygen through the body.
Why was her condition so serious?
Jackie received a blood transfusion and treatment that included oxygen, supportive care and around-the-clock monitoring in an intensive care unit. The center said her care was reviewed by a team that included nine veterinarians, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Veterinarians tracked her packed cell volume, or PCV, a measure used to estimate the proportion of blood made up of red blood cells. The 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 desired level was above 30%, according to the center’s medical updates.
Although the Aug. 9 reading was a small improvement, the center said Jackie remained critically ill and unstable. She died in the early hours of Aug. 10 despite treatment and the efforts of veterinary staff and consulting specialists.
What is known about the cause?
The Ojai Raptor Center has not announced a cause for Jackie’s illness or death. Reports on her treatment have referenced diagnostic procedures including a contrast CT scan and a bone marrow biopsy, but the available information does not include the results.
The center said it planned to issue a more detailed statement about her treatment and test results while working with state and federal wildlife officials. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has custody of Jackie’s remains, but the agency has not released findings in the information available for this report.
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 made Jackie a widely recognized California bald eagle.
Her death is the loss of one individual bird. The information available does not establish a broader change in bald eagle numbers or identify an environmental or climate trend connected to her illness. Any conclusions about those issues would require wildlife-monitoring data or additional medical and ecological findings.
