BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. — Jackie, the iconic Big Bear bald eagle whose life captivated millions through an online nest camera, died early this morning after weeks of intensive treatment at the Ojai Raptor Center. She was 14.
Wildlife officials confirmed that Jackie passed away just after sunrise, following a prolonged battle with severe anemia that left her critically ill and unable to recover despite round?the?clock care.
Jackie was rescued in mid?July after being found grounded near Big Bear Lake. Initial reports suggested she had been injured during a clash with two juvenile eagles, but veterinarians later determined she had already been gravely ill before the encounter. Her packed cell volume — a key measure of red blood cell health — had fallen to life?threatening levels.
Over the past three weeks, Jackie underwent oxygen therapy, blood transfusions, diagnostic imaging, and constant monitoring. The Ojai Raptor Center described her condition as “extremely critical” throughout her stay, noting that she showed brief periods of stability before declining again.
Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit that operates the internationally watched eagle livestream, announced her death in a statement to supporters, calling it “a heartbreaking loss for the Big Bear community and for everyone around the world who loved her.”
Jackie was the first bald eagle known to hatch in Big Bear Valley in modern history, emerging from her egg in 2012. Over the next decade, she became a symbol of resilience and wild beauty, raising multiple eaglets with her mate Shadow and enduring fierce winter storms that often drew tens of thousands of viewers to the livestream.
Her nest — perched high in a Jeffrey pine overlooking Big Bear Lake — became one of the most?watched wildlife cameras in the world, creating a global community of eagle fans who followed every egg, every storm, and every fledgling leap.
Wildlife officials say Jackie’s remains have been transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for further analysis.
For now, the nest sits quiet. Shadow, her longtime mate, has been seen flying in the area, but experts say it is too soon to know what will happen next.
Jackie’s legacy, however, is already clear: she connected millions to the natural world, inspired classrooms and conservation efforts, and became one of California’s most beloved wild residents.
