Honored as a Wavemaker in the 1981 Cousteau Almanac, Ila was recognized by the distinuished Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his Cousteau Society for her sea turtle conservation work.

Moreover, on Ila's 80th birthday, the Cousteau Society sent a letter which reads in part:

"Your work with sea turtles has helped bring the plight of this enigmatic creature more into focus for scientists and laymen alike. I recently spoke to
Dr. Archie Carr who echoes strongly these feelings."