As the world continues to mourn the death of the celebrated Big Bear bald eagle, Jackie, questions about her health problems and the fate of her body now have some answers.
Jackie, born in 2012 and made famous by a 24/7 webcast operated by the environmental nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley, died Monday morning after being treated for weeks at the Ventura County-based Ojai Raptor Center.
She was was first admitted to the Ojai center on July 18 after being found grounded in Big Bear, in the San Bernardino Mountains.
A California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Tuesday, Aug. 11 news release offered further insight on the health challenges that plagued Jackie, as well as the status of her body.
The statement said that Jackie had a large blood clot in her wing and kidney. Jackie will also undergo a necropsy performed by veterinary pathologists at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, the statement reported. The cause of death is still unclear and is not directly stated in the release.
CDFW spokesperson Cort Klopping said by email that more information on the cause of death will be released after the necropsy, and that there was no immediate timeframe for its completion.
CDFW’s press release also said that Jackie’s remains will be sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which operates a facility that receives the remains of deceased bald and golden eagles nationwide. The National Eagle Repository evaluates, stores and distributes remains, parts and feathers to enrolled members of federally recognized Native American Tribes.
News about the raptor’s death has spread far and wide. Several fans are still contemplating what comes next. The mama bird was transferred to the wildlife center after being found grounded for hours after an altercation with two young eagles. Updates from Ojai’s medical team reported that Jackie had been suffering from anemia, and veterinarians had been looking into what may have caused the condition reducing her count of red blood cells.
The County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation shared its condolences on its social media platforms. The San Dimas Raptor Rescue, the department’s wildlife rehabilitation center, was among the first to arrive on the scene, where Jackie was found perched on a shore boat. The San Dimas team later transferred Jackie to Ojai.
“Jackie taught us so much about the beauty and resilience of bald eagles, the importance of protecting wildlife, and the special connections we can build with the natural world. Her legacy will live on through the countless people who watched, learned, cared and were inspired to protect these magnificent birds,” a Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation Facebook post read.
In Lviv, Ukraine, Lyudmyla Mochalska regularly follows the happenings at a nest over 6000 miles away via livestream, despite the fear of Russian missile and drone attacks.
“I saved to Google Drive some photos and videos of her, to have them with me at any time,” Mochalska said.
“I hope the nest will be used in the next season as well. By Shadow or whatever eagles. But none of them will never ever replace Jackie,” she added.
Mychal Threets, host of the educational children’s television series, Reading Rainbow, also weighed in on Jackie’s death.
“If you are looking for books to address grief of losing a beloved animal with your kids, might I start with suggesting “When a Pet Dies” by Mister Rogers and “The Invisible Leash” by Patrice Karst,” Threets posted on social media.
Thousands of others also shared their well-wishes on the Friends of Big Bear Valley’s social media accounts, confirming Jackie’s death.
Friends’ Monday Facebook post has over 32,000 comments, along with over 200,000 likes, as of Tuesday afternoon.
Even the CDFW has a link to the Friends’ Big Bear Eagle Nest live cam on its website. The state’s wildlife department says the best time of year to see bald eagles in California is during the winter, mainly from December to March.
In Tuesday’s CDFW news release, Gov. Gavin Newsom thanked the agencies that helped Jackie in her time of need.
“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,” Newsom was quoted as saying in the release.
The bald eagle species was close to extinction by the late 1960s and early 1970s, according to the CDFW.
The bald eagle was added to the federal list of endangered species in 1967, and to the California list of endangered species in 1971. But by August 2007, bald eagles were removed from federal endangered status, though they remain so in California.
Jenny Voisard, Friends of Big Bear Valley media manager, said by phone Monday afternoon that the nonprofit is taking it one day at a time. As for future plans to commemorate the beloved bird, Voisard said: “We haven’t gotten that far right now.”
“We’re just still processing the news and just trying to be there for our members,” she said.