EYES La Jolla — Coastal Wildlife Education & Community Science
See. Learn. Protect.
A Wildlife Jewels® Program
EYES™ La Jolla supports community members and volunteers in safely observing wildlife, documenting coastal conditions, and reporting observations to authorized responders—supporting awareness of seals, sea lions, seabirds, tidepool life, and other coastal species along La Jolla Cove and the surrounding shoreline.
Our work blends coastal education, community science, and public stewardship.
Why La Jolla
La Jolla is one of California’s most important coastal wildlife regions—home to sea lion colonies, harbor seal pupping areas, diverse seabirds, and sensitive tidepool ecosystems. With high visitor activity, education and informed reporting help reduce preventable harm such as disturbance, feeding, entanglements, and debris.
What We Do
Guided educational walks and mini-trainings (wildlife behavior, safe viewing, identification basics, and who to contact)
Community-based observation and documentation (wildlife sightings, environmental conditions, debris, and location notes using photos from a safe distance)
Public awareness outreach during periods of increased wildlife concern (e.g., environmental conditions or seasonal changes)
Periodic summaries of observation trends shared with partners
Youth and community education through talks, school partnerships, and local activities
Where We Observe
EYES™ volunteers observe wildlife and coastal conditions at:
La Jolla Cove
Boomer Beach
Shell Beach
La Jolla Shores
Point La Jolla
Coast Walk Trail shoreline
Children's Pool / Casa Beach* (seasonal rules apply)
Get Involved in EYES La Jolla
Join the EYES™ Collective and Get Involved as a Volunteer Monitor or Community Reporter
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Join the EYES Collective (Volunteers)
Become an EYES La Jolla Volunteer Monitor and help protect coastal wildlife by safely observing wildlife, spotting hazards, and providing valuable data that helps route distressed wildlife to authorized responders.
You choose the times and locations that work best for you!
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Join the EYES Collective (Community Reporters)
Perfect for anyone who visits La Jolla often and wants to help.
Report distressed wildlife sightings, hazards, entanglements, or concerns from your everyday beach walks using simple observation guidelines.
La Jolla Wildlife Rescue Support Group on Facebook
Join our La Jolla Wildlife Rescue Support Group on Facebook to stay up to date on injured wildlife in La Jolla, learn ways you can help support rescue efforts, and share wildlife sightings so we can help save them.
EYES Hearts Seals — Join Our La Jolla Pupping Season Volunteers
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EYES Hearts Seals — La Jolla Pupping Season Volunteers
Our EYES™ Hearts Seals program blends the eye, the heart, and the seal to reflect how we watch with care, protect with compassion, and support La Jolla’s harbor seal families during their most sensitive season.
Click to learn how you can volunteer to help monitor seals during pupping season!
⭐ Our Story — The Origin of EYES™
Engage Your Eyes for Sea Life™
A Wildlife Jewels® Initiative Founded January 2025
Since 2021, Wildlife Jewels® Founder and Executive Director Azi Sharif, PhD, has been actively monitoring and observing coastal wildlife along the California coast — with a special focus on La Jolla, Solana Beach, Crystal Cove, and Corona del Mar. Through thousands of hours in the field, she documented wildlife behavior, injuries, entanglements, fishing gear hazards, toxin events, and other threats facing sea lions, seabirds, and tidepool life.
In May 2023, August 2024, then June 2025, during the devastating domoic acid crisis that swept across Southern California, Azi was on the frontlines documenting distressed sea lions and seabirds suffering from toxin exposure. Her work was featured on Spectrum News on June 17, where she explained the urgent need for a coordinated, community-powered wildlife monitoring system.
“The purpose of the EYES™ program is to actively search for wildlife along the coast that need help and also gather data on the threats they’re facing — including fishing gear entanglements. Even for animals in areas where rescue isn’t possible, their story needs to be known and shared.”
— Azi Sharif, Spectrum News Interview
Moved by the severity of the crisis, and recognizing gaps in public awareness and early reporting, Azi created EYES™ — Engage Your Eyes for Sea Life™ in January 2025.
EYES™ empowers community members, trained volunteers, and Wildlife Jewels® staff to:
Observe coastal wildlife safely and respectfully
Identify distressed animals and hazards early
Document threats such as fishing gear, toxins, charcoal, and harmful human interactions
Report emergencies to authorized rescue organizations
Share the stories of wildlife needing protection
Promote stewardship through education and community walks
The program plays a vital role in areas like La Jolla, where Wildlife Jewels® actively monitors sensitive species such as Western Gulls, protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. When their nests became vulnerable after beach access reopened, EYES™ volunteers helped watch over them from a distance, educating the public on safe and respectful viewing.
Today, EYES™ operates across San Diego, Orange County, and expanding to Los Angeles, helping communities “see” wildlife with greater awareness, compassion, and responsibility.
Through observation, reporting, data collection, and stewardship, EYES™ strengthens the connection between people and the wildlife who share our coastline.
Explore Wildlife Jewels EYES Stories
Would you like to make a donation?
Wildlife Jewels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and operates on donations. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Would you be interested in making a tax-deductible contribution to express your support for our mission to protect wildlife from human-caused threats?