Bald Eagle, who nature lovers have been watching via an online livestream for over 10 years, dies; death comes weeks after fight with two other eagles
Jackie, the bald eagle that became an internet sensation through a live nest camera in California, has died after weeks of medical treatment following an illness, her caretakers announced on August 10. The eagle, watched by thousands of people around the world for more than a decade, was rescued in July this year after reportedly being involved in a fight with two other eagles. Despite receiving intensive treatment, including a blood transfusion and oxygen therapy, Jackie died at the Ojai Raptor Center. Wildlife officials say her remains are now in the care of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Bald Eagle Jackie became a global internet star
Jackie and her partner, Shadow, gained worldwide attention through a live nest camera installed by the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley in 2015. The camera allowed viewers to watch the bald eagles raise their young each year in a nest near Big Bear Lake in California’s San Bernardino Mountains.One of Jackie’s most memorable moments came in 2024, when she stayed on her eggs for more than two and a half days during a winter storm that buried the nest in snow then.
Bald Eagle Jackie was rescued after reported eagle fight
According to officials, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation’s San Dimas Raptor Rescue team found Jackie on July 17 after reports that she had been involved in a fight with two other bald eagles. The bird was also found to be ill.Jackie was taken to the Ojai Raptor Center, where she received treatment for several health problems, including anemia. She underwent a blood transfusion and oxygen therapy, but her condition continued to worsen.“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,” the center said in a statement.“Our team is heartbroken. It has been an extraordinary privilege to care for her.”
Bald Eagle Jackie was a symbol of bald eagle recovery
Wildlife experts say Jackie became more than just an internet-famous bird. Kelly Sorenson, executive director of the Ventana Wildlife Society, said the eagle represented the remarkable recovery of bald eagles in California.The species had nearly disappeared in the United States before the pesticide DDT was banned in the 1970s and conservation measures helped populations recover. Bald eagles were later removed from the federal endangered species list.“You want to see a success story like that,” Sorenson said. “Having access to a live cam to see the nesting first hand is very powerful. It brings people in on an emotional level.”
