Jackie, one half of the internet’s beloved bald eagle pair Jackie and Shadow, has died after several weeks of intensive medical care, the Ojai Raptor Center said Monday.
The raptor died early Monday after her condition continued to worsen despite treatment, the rehabilitation center said on Instagram.
Jackie and her mate, Shadow, rose to fame through Friends of Big Bear Valley’s livestreamed eagle cameras, which documented the mated pair as they nested in Southern California for the past decade.
Around the clock, viewers could tune in to watch the eagles build and defend their nest, hunt for fish and raise their two eaglets, who hatched in April.
Jackie had been taken into care after a territorial fight with younger eagles left her flightless and grounded. Although she did not sustain any significant injuries, per the center’s previous statements, subsequent testing revealed she had life-threatening anemia.
The raptor had remained critically ill in the center’s intensive care unit, where she received oxygen therapy, supportive care and around-the-clock monitoring, the organization wrote in the Instagram post announcing her death.
The Ojai Raptor Center said Sunday on Facebook that Jackie had an “incredibly difficult” 24 hours. She was “critically ill” and “unstable,” it said, noting that her packed cell volume (PCV) fell below 6% Saturday and rose by only 3% Sunday. An acceptable PCV range for an eagle is roughly 35% to 55%.
Although followers were aware of the severity of Jackie’s condition, the raptor center also acknowledged that the news of Jackie’s passing may come as a shock.
“We know this news will be deeply felt by the many thousands of people around the world who have followed her journey, hoped alongside us, prayed for her, and supported the people caring for her,” it said.
The post also said that Jackie’s remains have been transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and that more information about her treatment will be released later.
“To everyone who cared about [Jackie], thank you. Thank you for your messages, your prayers, your encouragement, and for standing beside our team throughout these past weeks,” it said. “We are deeply grateful for the way [Jackie] brought people together through a shared love of wildlife.”
Friends of Big Bear Valley, the organization behind the nest cam, said in a statement on Facebook: “It is with great sadness and heavy hearts, to bring you the latest update from Ojai Raptor Center. Please be kind to yourself, to others, to the FOBBV team and to those at the Ojai Raptor Center.”
