Famed bald eagle Jackie dies after mystery illness

Aug. 10 (UPI) — Jackie, a Californian bald eagle whose livestream drew millions of viewers around the world, died early Monday after weeks in intensive care.

Ojai Raptor Center of Ojai, Calif., said in a social media post Monday afternoon that the famous raptor died early that morning.

“Our team is heartbroken,” the post said. “It has been an extraordinary privilege to care for her.”

Jackie was found weak and unable to fly in mid-July after she went missing from her nest at Big Bear Lake after a fight with two younger eagles. She was found by the L.A. County Parks & Recreation San Dimas Raptor Rescue and transferred to the raptor center for care and evaluation.

There, staff discovered that Jackie had severe, unexplained anemia that likely predated the scuffle. Despite three weeks of intensive care and tests including a CT scan and bone marrow biopsy, experts could not determine why she was sick.

“Over the past several days, her condition continued to deteriorate despite intensive treatment and the combined efforts of our veterinary team and consulting specialists,” the center said in its post. “She remained critically ill, receiving oxygen therapy, supportive treatment and around-the-clock monitoring in our intensive care unit.”

Friends of Big Bear Valley, who set up the livestream that made Jackie and her family famous, also confirmed her death.

“Please be kind to yourself, to others, to the FOBBV teamand to those at Ojai Raptor Center,” the group said in a social media post. “Soarfree, Jackie.”

Jackie was hatched in 2012 and was thought to be the first do***ented bald eaglet born in Big Bear Valley. She was part of a comeback for her species, which had been nearly extinct because of habitat loss, hunting and pesticides before conservation efforts helped restore eagle populations.

Friends of Big Bear Valley first set up the livestream cameras in 2015. Viewers from around the world watched as Jackie and her mate, Shadow, raised hatchlings and care for their nest, which first belonged to Jackie’s parents, Ricky and Lucy.

Shadow remains at the nest, caring for their last hatchlings, Luna and Sandy, who hatched in April and have fledged.

The raptor center said it had transferred Jackie’s remains into the care of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.