BIG BEAR LAKE, California — Bird flu caused the death of a bald eagle named Jackie, who had become an Internet phenomenon and a symbol of the species’ recovery in California, authorities said.
A necropsy and additional testing revealed that the underlying cause of Jackie’s death in August was highly pathogenic avian influenza.the California Department of Fish and Wildlife reported in a press release on Wednesday.
In the weeks before her death, Jackie was being treated at the Ojai Raptor Center for various ailments, including anemia. Chris Eksteen, director of the center, stated in the press release that the autopsy results “have helped relate many of the findings” they observed during his hospitalization.
“In a rare manifestation of the virus, the infection caused a severe stomach ulcer that led to persistent internal bleeding, anemia, and the development of bacterial sepsis,” Steve Kubiski, director of disease research at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance — where the necropsy was performed — said in the news release.
For more than a decade, nature lovers watched via live Internet broadcast as Jackie and her partner, Shadow, each year tended their nest high in the trees near Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains, east of Los Angeles. According to the press release, there is no indication that Shadow is ill.
The non-profit organization Friends of Big Bear Valley installed the nest camera in 2015 and documented the successes and failures of each breeding season.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been circulating among bird populations throughout the United States. Although waterfowl and shorebirds are natural hosts for avian flu viruses, eagles and other birds of prey can be exposed through contact with or feeding on infected birds, according to the news release.
Jackie’s remains were reportedly cremated to prevent transmission of the virus.
This story was translated from English to Spanish with an artificial intelligence tool and was reviewed by an editor before publication.