Despite the heroic, round-the-clock efforts of her devoted caretakers and a three-week battle in intensive care, Jackie, California’s beloved bald eagle, has taken her final flight.
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In the quiet, somber hours of Monday morning (Aug. 10), the Ojai Raptor Center announced that Jackie, Patient 26-519, the internet’s most-watched feathered celebrity whose nest in the San Bernardino Mountains had captivated millions of livestream viewers, had soared beyond our reach for the very last time.
“Throughout her 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,” the wildlife rehabilitation organization wrote on Instagram alongside a portrait photo of Jackie. “Our team is heartbroken. It has been an extraordinary privilege to care for her.”
Jackie arrived at the raptor center in July after being attacked by other eagles. She was found unable to fly near Big Bear Lake, according to The New York Times. Staff quickly uncovered even more troubling news: kidney inflammation and severe anemia.
By Sunday, Jackie’s condition had become critical. Her packed cell volume (PCV), the measure of red blood cells in her blood, had plummeted to just 6%, a fraction of the healthy 30% threshold. Despite oxygen therapy, round-the-clock monitoring, and every tool at their disposal, the medical team couldn’t turn the tide.
Jackie fought until the very end.
Jackie Captured the Imagination of the World Via a Livestrem of Her Nest
More than a decade ago, Jackie and her family captured the world’s attention through a livestream. It broadcast the nest she shared with her family atop a 120-foot Jeffrey pine tree in Big Bear Valley, a lakeside recreation area in Southern California.
Jackie’s remains have been transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. She is survived by her mate of 8 years, Shadow, and six eaglets.
Shadow has still been seen near the habitat, according to the Friends of Big Bear Valley. The center has also asked the public for kindness and patience, announcing it will be disabling comments on its social media posts to protect its staff and community during this difficult time.
And though the skies above Big Bear Valley may feel a little emptier now, her legend will forever echo through the mountains she once sailed over.
Jackie the eagle was 14.