OJAI, Calif., July 24 (Our California Times) — For people following Big Bear’s bald eagle pair, the latest update on Jackie is a mix of hope and caution: caregivers say she has received a successful blood transfusion and is showing some improvement, but she remains in critical care while veterinarians try to learn what made her sick.
The County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation said its San Dimas Raptor Rescue team found Jackie on the ground near Big Bear Lake early Saturday morning and took her to a rehabilitation facility. Friends of Big Bear Valley, which monitors the nest through a live stream, said Jackie had not been seen for days before the rescue.
Why the transfusion mattered
The Ojai Raptor Center said Jackie was severely anemic, meaning she did not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen through her body. Caregivers said that after the transfusion, her kidney inflammation appears to have improved. They also reported that she is eating well, perching and acting “bright and strong.”
The transfusion was made possible with help from Spirit, the resident bald eagle at California Living Museum in Bakersfield, according to the rehabilitation team.
What vets have ruled out so far
Friends of Big Bear Valley said Jackie was taken for a CT scan and that there were no obvious signs of cancer or metals in her body. The Ojai Raptor Center and the rehabilitation team also said testing has not pointed to lead toxicosis, and it has not found foreign objects such as fishing hooks, lines, weights or other metal objects.
Even with those results, the cause of Jackie’s illness has not been identified.
Why officials are being careful about the prognosis
The Ojai Raptor Center has said this is still a serious case and that it is too early to predict the outcome. In other words, Jackie may be looking somewhat better, but the team is still waiting on diagnostic results before saying what comes next.
What is happening at the nest
While Jackie is away, Friends of Big Bear Valley said her mate, Shadow, is caring for their eaglets, Sandy and Luna, and protecting the nest and territory. The nonprofit said Shadow is also keeping other subadult eagles away from the area.
For now, the story is less about a finished diagnosis than about wildlife care in progress. Jackie is still being closely monitored, the cause of her condition remains unclear, and the people treating her say they need more time before giving a firm prognosis.
