OJAI, Calif., Aug. 7 (Nationwide Times) — Jackie, the bald eagle known from the Big Bear Valley nest-cam, remains in critical condition while receiving intensive veterinary care at the Ojai Raptor Center in California. The center’s latest reported update said her packed cell volume, or PCV, had fallen to 13%, worsening her anemia and prompting advanced diagnostic testing.
The latest update followed a period of mixed progress. Ojai Raptor Center previously reported that Jackie’s PCV rose from 8% to 16% after a weekend setback. She was eating on her own and showing more energy and alertness. The center later said she moved from its intensive-care unit to a regular hospital care unit because she no longer needed oxygen therapy.
The center has also stressed that the move was not a recovery from the underlying illness. It said Jackie remained very sick and needed close monitoring and treatment. The later drop in PCV means the status of her hospital placement after that decline is not clear from the available updates.
What is wrong with Jackie?
PCV is a measure of the percentage of blood made up of red blood cells. A low result can indicate anemia, a condition in which the blood has too few red blood cells to carry oxygen effectively. Jackie’s reported PCV values — 8%, 16% and later 13% — show why veterinarians have continued to treat her as a critical patient.
Ojai Raptor Center said Jackie has anemia and inflammation affecting her kidneys. The veterinary team has not identified the underlying cause of those problems. The center said testing ruled out lead toxicosis and foreign objects such as fishing hooks, fishing line and weights. Results for other possible causes mentioned in earlier updates, including zinc or rodenticide exposure, were not provided in the available reports.
The center said advanced diagnostic work and expedited laboratory testing were underway after the PCV fell to 13%. It has not announced a confirmed diagnosis, prognosis or release date.
How has Jackie been treated?
Jackie received a blood transfusion, which Ojai Raptor Center described as an important treatment milestone. The donated blood came from Spirit, a resident bald eagle at the California Living Museum in Bakersfield.
The center also reported that Jackie was eating, perching and becoming more alert during an earlier stage of treatment. Those signs were encouraging, but the center cautioned that they did not mean she was out of danger.
How did Jackie arrive at the center?
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation’s San Dimas Raptor Rescue team said it rescued an injured bald eagle after a fight with two other eagles and transported the bird to the Ojai Raptor Center. ABC News described the rescued bird as presumed to be Jackie; the available updates do not provide definitive identification details.
Jackie is associated with the Big Bear Valley nest-cam and has drawn public attention from viewers and wildlife supporters. Friends of Big Bear Valley has expressed hope for her recovery, but the medical updates from Ojai Raptor Center remain the clearest indication of her condition.
For now, the most recent reported medical finding is a decline in PCV to 13% and worsening anemia. The center has not said that Jackie has recovered or that the cause of her illness has been found.
