Jackie, the celebrity Big Bear bald eagle that has been undergoing treatment for unexplained anemia since being rescued last month, experienced an “incredibly difficult” past 24 hours, her veterinary team said in an update Sunday.
The Ojai Raptor Center described the bird’s condition as unstable, with her packed cell volume (PCV) — which evaluates anemia by measuring the proportion of red blood cells in the blood — falling below 6% on Saturday and rising to 9% on Sunday. Her ideal PCV would be above 30%, according to the center.
“While this is a small improvement, her PCV remains critically low and her overall condition remains extremely serious,” the facility said.
Sunday’s update comes more than three weeks after Jackie was found grounded on July 17 following a territorial fight with younger eagles. Veterinarians said she was likely ill before the encounter, and they have been testing to find the underlying cause ever since.
The team looking after Jackie — referred to by the center as Patient 26-519 — includes nine veterinarians and representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Jackie and her mate Shadow rose to stardom after the installation of 24/7 livestream cameras above a nest near Big Bear Lake. The cameras are operated by the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley.