In brief
Mona Khalil, the beloved guardian of Lebanon’s southern turtle nesting beaches, lost her life when a house she had defended for decades was damaged by an Israeli strike. Khalil, an environmental activist who helped turn Mansouri Beach into a critical haven for loggerhead and green sea turtles, battled coastal development and pollution for over 25 years. She had returned from the Netherlands to protect her family’s seaside home when the shellfire landed, leaving her injured and ultimately fatal. Her death marks a painful intersection of ecological loss and regional conflict, with broader implications for marine conservation efforts. Friends, colleagues, and local groups pledge to carry on her legacy, inspiring future generations to protect the marine life she fought for.
Tragic Loss: Lebanese Turtle Conservationist Mona Khalil Killed by Israeli Strike
Lebanese environmental activist Mona Khalil, 76, dedicated her life to protecting sea turtles along Lebanon’s southern coast, was killed after her house on Mansouri beach was struck during Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon two weeks ago.
Her death follows a period of intensified air raids near the region, raising fears of renewed violence despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to preserve fragile peace between Israel and Hezbollah.
For more than 25 years, Khalil worked to safeguard endangered loggerhead and green turtles that nest on the coast, documenting nesting sites and campaigning against coastal development, pollution, and destructive fishing practices.
Khalil’s journey began in 1999 when she witnessed a green turtle laying eggs on Mansouri beach, inspiring her to return to Lebanon from the Netherlands in order to protect her family’s seaside home and the marine life that surrounded it.
She helped create the Orange House Project in 2000, an eco‑tourism and conservation initiative that evolved into an educational center, drawing volunteers and visitors worldwide and ensuring protected status for parts of the coastline.
Despite suffering damage to her home during the 2006 war, Khalil remained steadfast, refusing to be displaced and choosing to stay on the beach she had dedicated her life to protecting.
Friends and colleagues recall her strong bond with the turtles and the sea, describing her as one who treated the beach as a living person and whose legacy will shape future generations of environmental activists.
She is remembered not just for saving reptiles but for inspiriting people to care for the environment, with many citing her as a beacon of hope for Lebanon’s endangered marine ecosystems.
