BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif., Aug. 10 (Our Hesperia) — Bald eagle Jackie, a longtime resident of California’s Big Bear Valley and a familiar sight on nest livestreams, died Aug. 10 after her health continued to worsen during more than three weeks of intensive veterinary care, the Ojai Raptor Center said.
The bird was identified by the center 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 had reportedly been involved in a fight with two subadult eagles near the Dana Point Park area by Big Bear Lake and was found weak and unable to fly.
The Ojai Raptor Center said the fight may have left her unable to fly, but the center’s executive director, Chris Eksteen, told the Los Angeles Times that it did not explain the symptoms that followed. The center said Jackie appeared to have been sick before she was found.
Initial bloodwork showed severe anemia and inflammation affecting her kidneys, according to a July 21 update from the center. Anemia means the blood does not carry enough oxygen, often because there are too few red blood cells or too little hemoglobin.
Jackie received a blood transfusion and underwent intensive treatment. The center said she was given oxygen and supportive care and monitored around the clock in an intensive care unit. Reports also described diagnostic procedures including a contrast CT scan and a bone marrow biopsy, but the supplied updates did not provide the results.
Why were her blood levels important?
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 assess anemia.
The Ojai Raptor Center said 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 it wanted the level to be above 30%.
Although the increase was a small improvement, the center said Jackie remained critically ill and unstable. She died in the early hours of Aug. 10 despite treatment by the center’s veterinary staff and consulting specialists.
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.
What is known about the cause?
The Ojai Raptor Center had not announced a cause of Jackie’s illness or death in its initial statement. The center said it planned to release a more detailed account of her treatment and test results while working with state and federal wildlife officials.
The available information does not include the results of the CT scan, bone marrow biopsy or other tests. It also does not say whether a necropsy or toxicology testing will be performed.
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 pair and observe activity at the nest.
Her death concerns one well-known California eagle. The available information does not provide environmental or population-monitoring data linking her illness to a broader trend affecting bald eagles. It also does not establish whether the reported fight contributed to the underlying illness.
For now, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife has custody of Jackie’s remains, while the Ojai Raptor Center has said additional medical and testing information may follow.
