Will Jackie's mate Shadow move on as she recovers? Here's what experts say about the Big Bear couple
New video is shedding light on what happened before Big Bear's beloved bald eagle, Jackie, was discovered in need of rescue.
BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. (KABC) -- As Jackie continues to receive critical care, we're learning more about what the future may look like for the Big Bear's beloved bald eagle and her mate, Shadow.
In an update on Wednesday evening, Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), the nonprofit that operates the eagle nest camera, wrote that Shadow is continuing to care for, feed and protect Sandy and Luna in Jackie's absence. They noted that he's been protecting the nest from other subadult eagles, who are categorized as under 5 years old, in the area.
FOBBV wrote that Luna even appeared to chase an intruder away a couple days ago.
Meanwhile, Sandy and Luna are exploring further out in the habitat and staying away from the cameras for longer periods of time despite still visiting the nest daily.
FOBBV released a photo which they say shows Shadow sitting on a tree perch with a subadult nearby on Wednesday, and volunteers believe it could possibly be the same female eagle that had a short skirmish with Jackie.
Will Shadow move on?
Many fans of the bald eagle couple have been concerned that Shadow might leave the nest while Jackie is away. FOBBV said they spoke to an expert who said that due to Jackie and Shadow's incredible bond, it is unlikely he will move on for now. The expert noted that Shadow likely won't be looking for a mate until his hormones kick in, which could be around the end of December or early January.
Meanwhile, Dr. Todd Katzner, a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, explains what happens when eagles lose their partner.
"When that happens, they typically replace that partner. How quickly it happens tends to depend on the population density. As soon as a space opens up, somebody's going to come in and grab that space because they don't have many opportunities to get those spaces," Katzner said.
But is it possible that Jackie can make a comeback, reclaim her nest, her territory and her mate?
Katzner said yes, but she could also return and find a new nest and another mate to start a new life.
How is Jackie doing?
Jackie remains in critical condition at the Ojai Raptor Center, with officials describing her case as "very serious." Vet teams believe Jackie was already sick before witnesses spotted her in a fight with two younger eagles last week.
While she is alert and is eating, the center said in a post on Instagram that Jackie is experiencing severe anemia and inflammation affecting the kidneys. They're waiting on further test results to pinpoint the underlying cause.
Some things they were testing were for levels of zinc, rodenticides and lead. X-rays were performed, and no fishing hooks, sinkers or other metal objects were observed.
"Wildlife medicine takes time, and some answers simply cannot be rushed. As we learn more about this patient's condition, we will continue to share meaningful updates with you," the center said. "While the eagle remains alert and is eating, it is still too early to predict the outcome."
How could such a strong, grown-up eagle get compromised?
"There's some clues in here. If a mature eagle was compromised, if it was injured, or if it was lead poisoned, for example, that could explain why it was unable to fly away," said Dr. Katzner.
Rescuers are testing Jackie for levels of zinc, rodenticides and lead. In his research, Dr. Katzner says environmental toxins are a huge issue plaguing eagles.
"An injury like this is probably human-associated in the beginning, and it's a good reminder of the role that we play in the environment," Dr. Katzner said.
Rescuers say it could take weeks, maybe longer, before we could see Jackie's return.
"I don't want to speculate on that, other than to warn people not to expect it to be incredibly fast," said Dr. Travis Longcore with the L.A. Audubon Society.
"I mean, that's the whole goal here, is to have her back in the nest and so she can live another 10-20 years and have many more hatchlings," Duke said.
Dr. Longcore says it's very likely Jackie was sick even before the fight.
"The fact that that happened was the result of already being sick from something, so this wasn't because of the altercation with other birds, based on the reports of no acute injuries," Dr. Longcore said. "So we shouldn't even be talking about this as an injury, this is an illness."
Today, there are more than 70,000 bald eagle nesting pairs in the U.S. They're thriving compared to the sparse population we had in the 1960s. It shows how small human actions can make a huge difference.
Dr. Katzner says he doesn't use rodenticides in his home, and his friends who hunt use non-lead ammunition.
He says about 50% of bald eagles and golden eagles test positive for exposure to lead. In the U.S., it's mainly from lead ammunition, which is banned from hunting in California. Tests show about 89% of eagles test positive for rodenticides.
