BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif., Aug. 10 (Our Hesperia) — Bald eagle Jackie, a longtime resident of a nest watched by livestream viewers 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 bird as Patient 26-519. It said Jackie’s health continued to deteriorate despite treatment by its veterinary staff and consulting specialists. She received oxygen, supportive care and round-the-clock monitoring in the center’s intensive care unit.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife took custody of Jackie’s remains, according to the Ojai Raptor Center. The center said it planned to provide more information about her treatment and test results while working 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 been found weak and unable to fly near the Dana Point Park area by Big Bear Lake after an apparent fight with two younger eagles, according to information from the rescue team and the Ojai Raptor Center.
The exact cause of Jackie’s illness and death had not been announced. Chris Eksteen, the Ojai Raptor Center’s executive director, told the Los Angeles Times that the fight likely left Jackie grounded but did not explain her other symptoms. Eksteen said the bird appeared to have been sick for some time before she was found.
Initial bloodwork showed severe anemia, meaning Jackie had too few red blood cells to carry enough oxygen through her body. The tests also showed inflammation affecting her kidneys, the center said in a July 21 update.
Jackie received a blood transfusion and underwent additional testing, including a contrast CT scan and a bone marrow biopsy, according to updates from the center cited by USA Today and the Los Angeles Times. The available reports did not provide the results of those tests.
How serious was her condition?
Veterinarians tracked Jackie’s packed cell volume, or PCV. This measurement shows the percentage of blood made up of red blood cells and is one way doctors monitor anemia.
The Ojai Raptor Center reported that Jackie’s PCV had fallen to 13% by Aug. 3. It dropped below 6% on Aug. 8, then rose to 9% on Aug. 9. The center said a desired level would have been above 30%.
The 9% reading represented a small improvement, but the center said Jackie remained critically ill and unstable. Her condition worsened despite intensive treatment, and she died in the early hours of Aug. 10.
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.
Why was Jackie well known?
Jackie was associated with a nest in Big Bear Valley and appeared with her longtime partner, Shadow. Cameras connected to Friends of Big Bear Valley allowed viewers to watch the nest online, giving the bird a following far beyond the California mountain community.
Her death concerns one well-known bald eagle. The information available about Jackie’s case does not establish a broader change in California’s bald eagle population or an environmental trend. No population-monitoring data or ecological study was provided in the reports about her medical treatment.
Further findings could clarify what caused Jackie’s anemia, kidney inflammation and decline. The Ojai Raptor Center said additional treatment and test information was expected, but the timing and content of any later report were not specified.
