Devastating Rise in Distressed Seabirds and Entangled Pelicans Along the Coast
Devastating Rise in Distressed Seabirds and Entangled Pelicans Along the Coast.
Injured Entangled California Brown Pelican La Jolla Cove, CA May 31, 2026 © Wildlife Jewels / Azi Sharif
🚨Seabirds need your help.
Over the past three months, Wildlife Jewels has spent countless hours monitoring and searching local beaches as a devastating rise in deceased and distressed seabirds has unfolded along our coast.
As starvation, injuries, fishing-line entanglements, and other emergencies have increased, our team has been searching beaches, documenting cases, reporting distressed wildlife, and helping support response efforts.
More recently, we have seen a devastating rise in entangled pelicans and cormorants along the La Jolla coastline. In just the past week alone, we documented nearly two dozen entangled birds between Children’s Pool and La Jolla Cove.
These recent cases, along with years of witnessing coastal wildlife emergencies, are why the Wildlife Jewels Rescue Crew was created — to help search for, report, and support response efforts for injured, entangled, and distressed coastal wildlife.
As we prepare for the Wildlife Jewels Rescue Crew ribbon cutting ceremony next week, we’ll be sharing some of the wildlife emergencies and response efforts that inspired this program.
We invite you to join us for the Wildlife Jewels Rescue Crew Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Learn more and RSVP HERE:
To report distressed, injured, entangled, or deceased coastal wildlife in San Diego or Orange County, visit: wildlifejewels.org/report-wildlife
Your reports help Wildlife Jewels monitor coastal wildlife, document trends, and support emergency response coordination when possible.
For general emergency and harassment reporting see our Rescue Resources for San Diego County HERE.
Join the Wildlife Jewels Rescue Crew to support next steps when needed, including tracking cases and helping connect wildlife to authorized care.
💙 Now Live: Wildlife Jewels Rescue Support La Jolla Group!
We’ve launched a neighborhood group for the La Jolla community to share local wildlife rescue resources and guidance specific to our coastline.
If you come across wildlife that may be injured, entangled, orphaned, or in distress and aren’t sure what to do, this group helps connect reports to licensed wildlife rehabilitators and appropriate resources—plus simple tips to recognize signs of distress and what to do next.
👉 Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lajollawildliferescuesupport
If you’re passionate about helping save birds and interested in joining our Rescue Crew, we’d love to hear from you. Training is required, and participation is by approval as we expand the pilot.
🔗 Apply via the Rescue Crew Interest Form
Every wildlife is precious — and knowing what to do can help save lives.
Join us and together let’s work to ensure safety of our precious wildlife!
California Brown Pelican Safely Rescued Through Coordinated Response
A California Brown Pelican in distress at San Marcos High School was safely rescued through coordinated efforts between Wildlife Jewels Rescue Crew, San Diego Humane Society, and SeaWorld Rescue.
Distressed Brown Pelican, CA May 13, 2026 © Wildlife Jewels
A precious California Brown Pelican is now safely in care thanks to quick reporting, trained volunteer response, and coordinated rescue support. 🩶🪶
After a Wildlife Jewels Rescue Crew volunteer reported a Pelican in distress at San Marcos High School, she was joined by another trained volunteer to monitor and guard the bird until San Diego Humane Society arrived to safely capture and crate the pelican.
The pelican was then transported by our Rescue Crew and transferred to SeaWorld Rescue for expert care and rehabilitation.
Every report matters, every response matters, every second matters, and every life matters.
See wildlife in distress? Report it. Help wildlife get help.
wildlifejewels.org/report-wildlife
For Immediate emergency reporting see our Rescue Resources for San Diego County HERE.
Join the Wildlife Jewels Rescue Crew to support next steps when needed, including tracking cases and helping connect wildlife to authorized care.
💙 Now Live: Wildlife Jewels Rescue Support La Jolla Group!
We’ve launched a neighborhood group for the La Jolla community to share local wildlife rescue resources and guidance specific to our coastline.
If you come across wildlife that may be injured, entangled, orphaned, or in distress and aren’t sure what to do, this group helps connect reports to licensed wildlife rehabilitators and appropriate resources—plus simple tips to recognize signs of distress and what to do next.
👉 Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lajollawildliferescuesupport
If you’re passionate about helping save birds and interested in joining our Rescue Crew, we’d love to hear from you. Training is required, and participation is by approval as we expand the pilot.
🔗 Apply via the Rescue Crew Interest Form
Every wildlife is precious — and knowing what to do can help save lives.
Join us and together let’s work to ensure safety of our precious wildlife!
🚨 Cormorants need your help
🚨 Cormorants need your help
Distressed Cormorants Solana Beach, CA March 17, 2026 © Wildlife Jewels
🚨Cormorants need your help.
An alarming number of cormorants have been found distressed along the coast, and other seabirds are being affected as well.
Over the last two weeks, Wildlife Jewels Rescue Crew search scouts have been out along the coastline searching for distressed birds and supporting rescue coordination.
If you see a cormorant that appears weak, grounded, injured, disoriented, unable to fly, or otherwise out of place, please report it right away.
To report distressed, injured, entangled, or deceased coastal wildlife in San Diego or Orange County, visit: wildlifejewels.org/report-wildlife
Your reports help Wildlife Jewels monitor coastal wildlife, document trends, and support emergency response coordination when possible.
To learn how you can help Wildlife Jewels Rescue Crew save wildlife, visit:
https://www.wildlifejewels.org/wildlife-jewels-rescue-crew
For Immediate emergency reporting see our Rescue Resources for San Diego County HERE.
Join the Wildlife Jewels Rescue Crew to support next steps when needed, including tracking cases and helping connect wildlife to authorized care.
💙 Now Live: Wildlife Jewels Rescue Support La Jolla Group!
We’ve launched a neighborhood group for the La Jolla community to share local wildlife rescue resources and guidance specific to our coastline.
If you come across wildlife that may be injured, entangled, orphaned, or in distress and aren’t sure what to do, this group helps connect reports to licensed wildlife rehabilitators and appropriate resources—plus simple tips to recognize signs of distress and what to do next.
👉 Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lajollawildliferescuesupport
If you’re passionate about helping save birds and interested in joining our Rescue Crew, we’d love to hear from you. Training is required, and participation is by approval as we expand the pilot.
🔗 Apply via the Rescue Crew Interest Form
Every wildlife is precious — and knowing what to do can help save lives.
Join us and together let’s work to ensure safety of our precious wildlife!
🚨 California Brown Pelicans need your help
🚨 California Brown Pelicans need your help
California Brown Pelicans need your help. A concerning number have recently been found distressed along our coast, and other seabirds, including cormorants, are affected as well.
California Brown Pelican Rescued at Solana Beach March 19, 2026 © Wildlife Jewels
🚨 California Brown Pelicans need your help. A concerning number have recently been found distressed along our coast, and other seabirds, including cormorants, are affected as well. These photos were taken at Fletcher Cove Beach, where a distressed pelican was found, San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife was contacted, and we remained nearby until their team arrived.
If you see a pelican or other seabird that appears weak, grounded, injured, disoriented, or otherwise in distress, please contact a local wildlife responder.
For San Diego wildlife rescue contacts and reporting options, visit:
📧 Rescue@WildlifeJewels.org
For Immediate emergency reporting see our Rescue Resources for San Diego County HERE.
Join the Wildlife Jewels Rescue Crew to support next steps when needed, including tracking cases and helping connect wildlife to authorized care.
💙 Now Live: Wildlife Jewels Rescue Support La Jolla Group!
We’ve launched a neighborhood group for the La Jolla community to share local wildlife rescue resources and guidance specific to our coastline.
If you come across wildlife that may be injured, entangled, orphaned, or in distress and aren’t sure what to do, this group helps connect reports to licensed wildlife rehabilitators and appropriate resources—plus simple tips to recognize signs of distress and what to do next.
👉 Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lajollawildliferescuesupport
If you’re passionate about helping save birds and interested in joining our Rescue Crew, we’d love to hear from you. Training is required, and participation is by approval as we expand the pilot.
🔗 Apply via the Rescue Crew Interest Form
Every wildlife is precious — and knowing what to do can help save lives.
Join us and together let’s work to ensure safety of our precious wildlife!