Meet Our Jewels™
by Wildlife Jewels®
Celebrating the beauty and resilience of wildlife through art, stories, and action. Meet the wildlife who inspire our creativity and drive our mission to protect them.
Meet Our Jewels is an art and conservation initiative by Wildlife Jewels®, celebrating the beauty and importance of precious wildlife around the globe. Through fine art, science, hands-on creative programs, fashion collections, and educational experiences, we connect people with the wonder of nature while inspiring action to protect it.
Through this program, we share the stories of remarkable wildlife that have touched our lives—some we found in distress and helped to rescue, others we met at rehabilitation centers as they recovered, and many we observed thriving in their natural habitats. Some have inspired us through their resilience, others through extraordinary journeys, but each has left a lasting impression and a call to protect the world they represent.
Explore by Wildlife
Meet the extraordinary wildlife that inspires our art and conservation. Many we’ve met in the wild, during rescues, or at sanctuaries—each with a story that has touched our hearts and sparked wonder.
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Bird Jewels
From majestic pelicans and penguins to delicate hummingbirds, discover avian treasures and the art and stories they inspire.
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Mammal Jewels
Celebrate the power and grace of marine and land mammals—from sea lions and elephants to leopards—through art and conservation.
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Fish Jewels
Dive into the underwater world of fish jewels, including vibrant Garibaldi, Leopard Sharks, and other finned wonders.
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Invertebrate Jewels
Explore fascinating invertebrates—from Antarctic krill to octopus and coral—that are vital to ocean health.
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Amphibian Jewels
Discover the beauty and fragility of amphibians, from frogs to salamanders, and learn how to protect their watery homes.
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Reptile Jewels
From sea turtles gliding through moonlit waters to lizards basking on sunlit stones and snakes weaving through wild landscapes, discover the timeless magic of reptiles and the stories they inspire.
Explore by Location
Travel from icy continents to vibrant bays and coastal cliffs, discovering wildlife we’ve met, photographed, and transformed into educational art and conservation programs — along with a few whose remarkable stories have inspired us from afar.
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Jewels of Antarctica
Shedding light on the magical jewels of Antarctica — precious wildlife from krill to penguins, seabirds, whales, and other Southern Ocean species — whose beauty, stories, and survival inspire our art and conservation work.
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Jewels of Newport Bay
Shedding light on the magical jewels of Newport Bay — a vibrant coastal treasure home to endangered Ridgway’s Rails, elegant egrets, graceful pelicans, and over 200 bird species. Its thriving wetlands and nursery waters teem with fish, invertebrates, and dazzling shorebirds — whose beauty, stories, and survival inspire our art and conservation work.
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Jewels of La Jolla
Where sea lions bask, seabirds soar, and leopard sharks glide through crystal waters we’ve explored and photographed.
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Jewels of San Diego
From wild coasts to mountain peaks, we’ve met bears, coyotes, eagles, and countless native species in their wild homes.
Rubellite the Elegant Tern
Meet “Rubellite the Elegant Tern”! Rubellite is a precious Elegant Tern who was a victim of the tragic incident that occurred in May 2021 and forced over 3,000 Elegant Terns to abandon their eggs. Sadly, Elegant Terns confront numerous human-induced threats, putting them at risk of potential endangerment. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they are currently classified as "Near Threatened" (NT), signifying their vulnerability to endangerment in the near future.
Peridot the Hummingbird
Meet Peridot, a precious hummingbird we observed in her nest back in 2015 in Corona del Mar. For days, we watched over her, but one day, Peridot never returned to her nest. Concerned, we reached out to a local hummingbird rehabilitation center, and they advised us to bring her baby to them if she didn’t return. Sadly, Peridot didn’t come back, and we found a single baby in her nest. We quickly drove her little one to the rescue center, giving it a chance at survival. More about Peridot’s story and the fine arts collection inspired by her will be coming soon!
“Morganite Rita the Raccoon"
Meet Wildlife Jewels’ Padparadscha Sapphire the Antarctic Krill!
“Fluorite Brawley the Coyote"
“Ametrine Hannah the Pygmy Hippo"
Gray Sapphire the Gull
Meet “Gray Sapphire the Gull”, a gorgeous Western Gull who was found entangled in fishing gear and saran wrap. She had also swallowed a fishing hook. She is very lucky to have been rescued, rehabilitated, and released.
Amethyst the Rhinos Thandi & Zolani
Meet “Amethyst the Rhinos” a magnificent rhino named Thandi who survived a brutal poaching attack in 2012 along with her fifth calf Zolani. Thandi and her magnificent family reside at the Kariega Game Reserve.
Lapis Lazuli the Elephant
Meet Wildlife Jewels® Lapis Lazuli the Elephant , a stunning Elephant, the inspiration behind our Wildlife Jewels Lapis Lazuli the Elephant collection! This photograph of the beautiful Elephant was taken by our founder at a wildlife sanctuary. Shortly after, she painted her, inspiring the creation of our Lapis Lazuli the Elephant.
Wildlife Jewels White Opal the Snowy Egret
A precious Snowy Egret we had the delight of observing in Solana Beach, California. Stay tuned to learn more!
Rose Quartz the African Penguin
Meet “Rose Quartz the African Penguin”! Rose Quartz is a stunningly beautiful African Penguin we had the pleasure of meeting and photographing at a Wildlife Sanctuary. The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), known for its captivating pink glands and monogamous nature, is sadly on the verge of extinction.
Wildlife Jewels Pink Tourmaline the Pelican
A precious California Brown Pelican we met at a rehabilitation center. Sadly her wing was injured due to fishing gear entanglement. Stay tuned to learn more!
Carnelian the Ant
Meet “Carnelian the Ant”! Carnelian is a beautiful ant original Wildlife Jewels artwork drawn in 2014! Stay tuned to learn about Carnelian!
Smoky Quartz the Elephant Seal
Meet “Smoky Quartz the Elephant Seal”! A precious Elephant Seal we had the pleasure of meeting in Laguna Beach! He was rescued, rehabilitated and released by the Pacific Marine Mammal Center.
Turquoise the Persian Cheetah
Meet “Turquoise the Persian Cheetah”! Turquoise the Persian Cheetah is one of our original Wildlife Jewels® paintings taking inspiration from a magnificent Persian Cheetah. Sadly they are critically endangered with fewer than 12 left in the wild.
“Wildlife living freely in their natural habitats are more precious to me than any precious stones, that is why I came up with the name of Wildlife Jewels® . Sadly wildlife face growing devastating human induced threats. In 2023, I founded Wildlife Jewels®, a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with a mission to protect wildlife through actionable and ambitious conservation initiatives, innovative educational programs, multi-disciplinary collaborations and global partnerships with diverse entities. Thank you for supporting and joining our wildlife-loving community at Wildlife Jewels®. “
Azi Sharif, Founder & Executive Director at Wildlife Jewels
Events
Explore our conservation, beach cleanup, and wildlife exploration events while engaging with our dynamic educational & outreach programs featuring workshops, webinars, newsletters, art showcases, fashion shows, presentations, and community engagement, all dedicated to wildlife conservation awareness.
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?