BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif., Aug. 10 (Our Hesperia) — Bald eagle Jackie, a California bird known to viewers of the Big Bear Valley nest livestream, died Aug. 10 after her health continued to worsen during more than three weeks of intensive medical care, the Ojai Raptor Center said.
The center identified the eagle as Patient 26-519. Her remains were transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, according to the center.
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 was found near Big Bear Lake weak and unable to fly after an apparent fight with two younger eagles, according to rescue and medical information provided by the Ojai Raptor Center.
The center’s executive director, Chris Eksteen, told the Los Angeles Times that the fight likely left Jackie grounded but did not explain the symptoms that followed. “What we are seeing suggests that she has been unwell for some time before she was found,” Eksteen said.
Initial bloodwork showed severe anemia and inflammation affecting her kidneys, the center said in a July 21 health update. Anemia means the blood does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen through the body.
Jackie received a blood transfusion and underwent intensive treatment that included oxygen therapy, supportive care and continuous monitoring in the center’s intensive care unit. Reports also described additional diagnostic work, including a contrast CT scan and a bone marrow biopsy, but the results of those tests have not been released.
Why was her condition so serious?
Veterinarians tracked Jackie’s packed cell volume, or PCV. This is a measure of how much of the blood is made up of red blood cells. A healthy target for Jackie was above 30%, the center said.
Her PCV fell to 13% on Aug. 3 and dropped below 6% on Aug. 8. It rose to 9% the next day, but the center said she remained critically ill and unstable.
“While this is a small improvement, her PCV remains critically low and her overall condition remains extremely serious,” the center said in an Aug. 9 update.
The Ojai Raptor Center said Jackie’s care involved nine veterinarians, consulting specialists, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Despite those efforts, the center said, her condition continued to deteriorate. She died in the early hours of Aug. 10.
What is known about the cause?
The cause of Jackie’s illness and death had not been announced. The Ojai Raptor Center said it planned to release a more detailed statement about her treatment and test results while working with state and federal wildlife officials.
The supplied medical updates do not state whether a necropsy or toxicology testing was performed, or when wildlife officials might release findings. A necropsy is an animal autopsy used to help determine the cause of death.
Why was Jackie well known?
Jackie was associated with a nest in Big Bear Valley and appeared with her longtime partner, Shadow, on livestream cameras operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley. The cameras drew viewers who followed the eagles’ nesting activity and daily behavior.
Her death concerns one individual bird. The information released about Jackie does not provide data about broader bald eagle population trends in California, and it does not establish an environmental or climate-related cause. Further findings from wildlife officials and the Ojai Raptor Center could provide more information about what made her ill.
