📷 © Wildlife Jewels® | Fur Seal at La Jolla Cove, Azi Sharif, October 27, 2026.
A Fur Seal Sighting at La Jolla Cove
A Fur Seal Sighting at La Jolla Cove
On October 27, during Wildlife Jewels' EYES coastal wildlife monitoring, we observed this beautiful fur seal resting on the rocks near La Jolla Cove. She appeared extremely thin and weak, raising concerns about her health.
Fur seals are remarkable marine mammals that spend much of their lives at sea. Seeing one along our coastline reminds us of the extraordinary wildlife that shares our oceans and the importance of monitoring their health.
Just days after this sighting, we were devastated to discover that this precious seal had passed away.
Marine heatwaves and El Niño events can disrupt ocean ecosystems, affecting prey availability and the health and survival of marine mammals, including fur seals.
With unusually warm ocean conditions affecting Southern California, continued coastal monitoring is more important than ever. Through Wildlife Jewels' EYES program, we monitor coastal wildlife, document signs of distress, rescue seabirds, and report distressed marine mammals to authorized marine mammal response organizations.
While the cause of this seal's death remains unknown, her story highlights the importance of early detection, protecting healthy ocean ecosystems, and ensuring timely wildlife response.
Every wildlife life is precious.
Learn about Wildlife Jewels EYES and ways you can get involved!
Learn about Wildlife Jewels Rescue and ways you can help!
© Wildlife Jewels® | Fur Seal at La Jolla Cove, photographed by Azi Sharif, October 27, 2026.
Meet Opal the Western Gull
Meet Opal, the Western Gull chick, when she was just about a week old. 🤍
We’ve spent countless hours in the field observing and helping protect Opal and her family since she was still an egg. This photograph was taken in June 2026. 💜
Watching Opal grow from a tiny chick into the beautiful fledgling she is today has been incredibly special—and a reminder of why every effort to protect vulnerable wildlife matters.
Opal is now one of the precious wild lives featured in our Jewels of La Jolla educational art collection, celebrating the remarkable wildlife that makes this coastline so magical. ✨
Image: Opal, Western Gull chick, June 2026, La Jolla, CA. © Wildlife Jewels® | Photo by Azi Sharif
Wildlife Jewels’ World Ocean Day Wildlife Walk, La Jolla
Observed during our EYES™ Field Day with SDSU MEBSA students: a Western Gull with a concerning beak injury—highlighting the importance of careful observation and reporting.
👀 Join EYES™ (Engage Your Eyes for Sea Life)
Become part of our coastal wildlife monitoring community—learn what to look for, how to observe responsibly, and how to report concerns to help keep birds and other coastal wildlife safe.
Learn more at about ways you can protect coastal wildlife at the Wildlife Jewels Resources Page
🛟 Join the Wildlife Jewel Rescue Crew (observation & reporting only)
Help support local wildlife rescue response by assisting with reporting, coordination, and (for trained, permitted volunteers only, transport support when a bird needs help.)
✨ Together, we can turn wildlife observation into action and help protect the magical Jewels that make our coastline so special.
EYES Community BIRD WALK, National Bird Day JANUARY 2026
Some of the magical Bird Jewels we had the delight of observing included Brandt’s cormorants with their striking turquoise eyes, the adult California brown pelican with sky-blue eyes and a vibrant red throat pouch, and the majestic Black Oystercatcher with its bold orange bill and eye-ring. We also enjoyed the intelligent, charismatic Western gull, the precious Heermann’s gulls, and the elegance of Royal and Elegant terns, crowned with their distinctive head crests.
Photo credit: © Wildlife Jewels® / Azi Sharif
We identified an injured Heermann’s gull, documented what we observed, and reported—reminding us that careful monitoring and timely reporting can help save lives. Every wildlife life is precious. 💙 We will share more about her and the other injured wildlife including 2 entangled sea lions that we spotted during our walk through the Wildlife Jewels Rescue Blog soon.
Wildlife Jewels documents a fur seal sighting at La Jolla Cove and highlights marine heatwaves, El Niño, and the importance of protecting coastal wildlife.