There’s comfort in community.
Not even two weeks have passed since the Big Bear bald eagle Jackie was found grounded for hours after a fight with two young adult eagles, also known as sub-adults. Jackie, along with her mate, Shadow, has reached millions around the world through a continuous livestream operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley, an environmental nonprofit.
Soon after the altercation, Jackie was transferred to a wildlife specialty site in Ventura County for diagnosis and treatment of a condition that has weakened her.
The wildlife rescue and rehab site, Ojai Raptor Center, is charged with overseeing Jackie’s medical care. Tuesday, July 28, the center published a social media post reflecting on Jackie’s impact.
“Regardless of what the coming days bring, one thing is certain: Jackie’s story has changed the future,” the Ojai post began.
“One bald eagle inspired millions of people to protect the future of an entire ecosystem. The result is far bigger than one nest or one eagle: generations of bald eagles, and all the wildlife that depends on this landscape can continue to thrive. That is the true power of conservation,” the Tuesday post said.
And people tend to agree.
Members of the eagle-watching community shared their own reflections on Jackie’s mark in their own lives and continue to share well wishes on the post.
As of late Tuesday morning, over 24,000 people sounded off in the comment section, garnering over 1,700 likes and 1,200 post shares.
Alavana Fourie wrote on the Ojai post: “Whatever happens, Jackie and Shadow (Jackie’s longtime mate) will be part of history. A beautiful history about how many communities that came together for a wonderful cause.”
“Thank you for taking care of all that come into your care,” Lisa Rose DeStefano also wrote on the Ojai Facebook post.
“Her (Jackie) legacy will be Big Bear and the humans who saved it through education and conservation. The future of Big Bear was made possible through people all over the world who fell in love with two bald eagles. Whether she returns to the wild or lives in a sanctuary, we are richer for having loved the plight of Jackie and Shadow,” DeStefano wrote.
Commenters also weighed in on the Friday morning FBBV announcement that the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust, a nonprofit conservancy dedicated to permanently protecting forest land in the San Bernardino National Forest, has reached its funding goal to purchase land along the north shore of Big Bear Lake in Fawnskin to prevent a 50-home development known as Moon Camp. SBMLT launched fundraising efforts on Feb. 19 to purchase the land from Chicago-based developer RCK Properties for $10 million. Both parties agreed to a July 31 deadline.
Seven days from July 31, public donations only reached so far, earning about half of the agreed goal. Then FBBV released a press release stating that tech billionaire Greg Brockman, co-founder and president of San Francisco-based artificial intelligence giant OpenAI and his wife, Anna, had donated the $5.5 million to cover the rest of the cost.
Jenny Voisard, media manager with Friends of Big Bear Valley, said by phone July 24 that the Brockmans had been fans of Jackie and Shadow, tuning in regularly.
“This is a wonderful reminder of the importance of community and how good things happen when people come together to do good things,” Victoria Sterling wrote on the Tuesday Ojai post.
Jackie has made some improvements since a life-saving blood transfusion. The California Living Museum in Bakersfield assisted with the procedure by offering their bald eagle, Spirit, as a blood donor, along with the veterinary and animal care teams, according to a Thursday afternoon Facebook post from Ojai.
A Monday Ojai update said that Jackie remains stable but is still in critical condition, with experts working to understand her underlying illness.
Ojai medical staff are closely monitoring Jackie’s packed cell volume, which measures the percentage of red blood cells in her bloodstream.
“Her packed cell volume has increased from 8% before the weekend to 16% today. While this remains below normal, it is an encouraging improvement, and we will continue to monitor her bloodwork daily as we keep a close eye on her progress,” the Monday post read.
Want to send Jackie some well-wishes or share how the Big Bear bald eagles have affected your life?
The Southern California News Group has launched an online board for all who want to send Jackie their thoughts.
Share your message for Jackie here.