KESQ News Team
BIG BEAR, Calif. (KESQ) Jackie, the Big Bear Valley bald eagle watched by millions on a live nest camera, died in the overnight hours of Aug. 9 while receiving intensive medical care at the Ojai Raptor Center, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced.
Her condition continued to deteriorate after more than three weeks of intensive care, despite periods of temporary improvement, according to CDFW. In her final days, Jackie developed a large blood clot in her wing and kidney, along with another decline in her blood values.
Following a necropsy performed by veterinary pathologists at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Jackie’s remains will be transported to the National Eagle Repository, a facility operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement. The repository receives, evaluates, stores and distributes eagle remains, parts and feathers to enrolled members of federally recognized tribes throughout the United States for religious, cultural and ceremonial purposes.
“California mourns Jackie, the Big Bear bald eagle who reminded us of the beauty and wonder of California’s wildlife, and our shared responsibility to protect the habitats that sustain it,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.
Jackie, identified by CDFW as Patient 26-519, was admitted to the Ojai Raptor Center on July 18 after being found grounded. An initial examination found her thin and dehydrated, suffering from severe anemia, low blood protein, and kidney and lung abnormalities. Treatment included fluids, oxygen therapy, nutritional support and round-the-clock monitoring.
According to CDFW, Jackie received a blood transfusion July 22 using donor blood from Spirit, an ambassador bald eagle at the California Living Museum Zoo in Bakersfield. She initially showed temporary improvement, but her packed cell volume declined again by Aug. 3. Advanced diagnostic testing showed thrombosis in her wing and near one kidney.
Veterinarians also performed a contrast CT scan, a bone marrow biopsy and specialized testing for heavy metals, working with specialists across the country. Some test results remained pending, and her prognosis grew increasingly poor.
“Throughout Jackie’s time at Ojai Raptor Center, every decision was guided by the available medical evidence, her welfare, and our responsibility to do what was in her best interest,” said Chris Eksteen, the center’s executive director. “Though our team is heartbroken, it has been an extraordinary privilege to care for her.”
Jackie became the first documented bald eagle chick hatched in Big Bear Valley in summer 2012, according to CDFW. In October 2015, the Friends of Big Bear Valley installed a livestream nest camera offering an intimate view of wild eagles. CDFW said people around the world watched as Jackie and her mate, Shadow, hatched and raised eaglets beginning in 2018. For several years, Jackie and Shadow were the only year-round bald eagle residents at Big Bear Lake.
“Millions of people who will never set foot near Big Bear have watched, for years, as this eagle and her mate raised eaglets, lost eggs, survived extreme weather, fought for their nest — and, most recently, as the eagle fought for her own life,” CDFW Director Meghan Hertel said. “While this eagle’s story has ended, the inspiration and the lessons she gave so many people won’t be forgotten.”
Paul Souza, regional director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pacific Southwest Region, called the public’s connection to Jackie “a powerful reminder of why the conservation of bald eagles matters.”
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