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, identified by the center as Patient 26-519, had been receiving oxygen therapy, supportive treatment and constant monitoring in the facility’s intensive care unit. Her remains were transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, according to the center.
The cause of her illness and death had not been announced. The Ojai Raptor Center said it was working with the state wildlife agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on additional treatment and test information.
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.
She was then taken to the Ojai Raptor Center for treatment. Chris Eksteen, the center’s executive director, told the Los Angeles Times that the fight likely left Jackie grounded but did not explain the symptoms that followed. 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 center. Anemia is a condition in which the blood does not carry enough oxygen, often because the body has too few red blood cells.
Jackie received a blood transfusion, and medical reports also referenced diagnostic procedures including a contrast CT scan and a bone marrow biopsy. The center said her care was reviewed by a team that included nine veterinarians, state and federal wildlife officials, and consulting specialists.
Why was her condition considered critical?
Veterinarians tracked Jackie’s packed cell volume, or PCV. The measurement estimates the percentage of blood made up of red blood cells. A low PCV can indicate severe anemia.
The Ojai Raptor Center reported that Jackie’s PCV had fallen to 13% by Aug. 3. It fell below 6% on Aug. 8, then rose to 9% on Aug. 9. The center said the desired level was above 30%.
The Aug. 9 reading was a small improvement, but the center said Jackie remained critically ill and unstable.
“Over the past several days, her condition continued to deteriorate despite intensive treatment and the combined efforts of our veterinary team and consulting specialists,” the center said in its death announcement.
Jackie died in the early hours of Aug. 10. The center said every treatment decision had been guided by the available medical evidence and the eagle’s welfare.
What happens next?
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife now has custody of Jackie’s remains. The Ojai Raptor Center said it planned to provide more information about her treatment and test results in a future statement.
The supplied reports do not include the results of the CT scan, bone marrow biopsy or other diagnostic tests. They also do not say whether a necropsy or toxicology testing will be conducted, or when wildlife officials might release findings.
Jackie was known for appearing with her partner, Shadow, at a Big Bear Valley nest monitored by livestream cameras operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley. Her death is the loss of one widely watched individual bird, but the available information does not establish a broader population or environmental trend among bald eagles in California. No population-monitoring data or peer-reviewed ecological research was provided with the medical updates.
