Jackie, the beloved bald eagle who became a global internet sensation and a powerful symbol of her species' ecological recovery in California, has passed away. Her caretakers announced her death on Monday following a battle with an illness at a veterinary facility.
For more than a decade, nature lovers from around the world watched a live video feed of Jackie and her partner, Shadow, tending to their nest high in the trees near Big Bear Lake. Located in the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles, the nest became a focal point for wildlife enthusiasts. The nonprofit organization Friends of Big Bear Valley installed the nest camera in 2015, documenting the couple's nesting triumphs and struggles. During a severe winter storm in 2024, Jackie famously remained on her eggs for more than two and a half consecutive days as snow blanketed the nest.
Jackie's health struggles began in mid-July. The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation’s San Dimas Raptor Rescue team located her on July 17, following reports that she had been in a fight with two other eagles and appeared unwell. She was examined at the San Dimas Raptor Rescue Center on July 18 before being transferred to the Ojai Raptor Center for specialized care.
She spent three weeks at the Ojai facility receiving treatment for several ailments, including anemia. Despite receiving a blood transfusion and oxygen therapy, her condition deteriorated. The center announced her passing on Monday, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is now caring for her remains.
In a statement, the Ojai Raptor Center expressed their grief: "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. Our team is heartbroken. It has been an extraordinary privilege to care for her."
Biologist Kelly Sorenson, executive director of the Ventana Wildlife Society in central California, was among the many who regularly followed Jackie's life online. Though his organization was not directly involved with the Big Bear eagles, he noted that their nesting success represented the incredible comeback of bald eagles in the state.
American bald eagles once faced the threat of extinction, but populations rebounded significantly after the pesticide DDT was banned in the 1970s and other key environmental protections were put in place. This recovery eventually led to the species being removed from the federal endangered species list.
Sorenson emphasized the impact of sharing these animals' lives with the public. "You want to see a success story like that," he said. "Having access to a live cam to see the nesting first hand is very powerful. It brings people in on an emotional level."
