CDFW News | Necropsy Provides New Information About Beloved Bald Eagle Known as Jackie – California Department of Fish and Wildlife (.gov)

CDFW News | Necropsy Provides New Information About Beloved Bald Eagle Known as Jackie  California Department of Fish and Wildlife (.gov)

Necropsy results provide new details on what led to the passing of the beloved Bald Eagle known as Jackie *Accredited media representatives should contact an Information Officer to be placed on CDFW's media list. SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), in partnership with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and Ojai Raptor Center, today released the results of the necropsy and additional diagnostic testing conducted following the death of Patient 26-519, the bald eagle from Big Bear Valley known as Jackie. The necropsy, performed by veterinary pathologists at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, along with extensive additional laboratory and toxicology testing, provided new information about the complex medical condition that led to Jackie’s decline and death.

"Jackie's necropsy confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) as the primary underlying cause of her decline," said Steve Kubiski, Director of Disease Investigations, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. "In an uncommon presentation of the virus, the infection caused a severe ulcer in her stomach that led to persistent internal bleeding, anemia, and the development of bacterial sepsis." Jackie showed signs of chronic disease involving the ventriculus, the muscular portion of a bird’s stomach, commonly called the gizzard. The damaged and ulcerated tissue contributed to ongoing blood loss and her persistent severe anemia. It also allowed bacteria to enter the