BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif., Aug. 10 (Our Hesperia) — Bald eagle Jackie, known to viewers of 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 eagle as Patient 26-519. It said her health continued to deteriorate despite treatment by its veterinary staff and consulting specialists. Jackie received oxygen, supportive care and around-the-clock monitoring in an intensive care unit.
“Her condition continued to deteriorate despite intensive treatment and the combined efforts of our veterinary team and consulting specialists,” the center said in its announcement.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife took custody of Jackie’s remains, 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 reportedly been involved in a fight with two younger eagles near the Dana Point Park area by Big Bear Lake and was found weak and unable to fly.
The Ojai Raptor Center’s initial bloodwork showed severe anemia, meaning Jackie had an unusually low level of red blood cells, along with inflammation affecting her kidneys. The center later gave her a blood transfusion.
Her condition remained unstable. The center reported that her packed cell volume, or PCV, had fallen to 13% by Aug. 3. PCV measures the share of blood made up of red blood cells. Jackie’s level fell below 6% on Aug. 8 and rose to 9% the next day. The center said a desired level would be above 30%.
The center said Jackie remained critically ill even after the small improvement. It also reported that a collaborative team of nine veterinarians, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife evaluated her care.
What is known about the cause?
The cause of Jackie’s illness and death had not been announced in the information released by the Ojai Raptor Center. Reports referenced additional diagnostic work, including a contrast CT scan and a bone marrow biopsy, but the results were not provided.
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 appear to explain her broader symptoms. He said the available information suggested she had been ill for some time before she was found.
The center has not said whether a necropsy or toxicology testing will be conducted. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had not released findings in the supplied information.
Why Jackie was widely known
Jackie became familiar to people who followed livestream cameras focused on a bald eagle nest in Big Bear Valley. She appeared there with her longtime partner, Shadow, through the Friends of Big Bear Valley camera project.
Her death concerns one individual eagle. The available information does not include environmental data, population-monitoring results or peer-reviewed research linking her illness to a broader climate or wildlife trend. The reported fight also should not be treated as evidence of a change in the regional bald eagle population without additional monitoring data.
For now, the next public information is expected to come from the Ojai Raptor Center and wildlife agencies reviewing Jackie’s medical records and remains.
