Lebanese turtle conservationist Mona Khalil killed by Israeli strike
Mona Khalil, a Lebanese environmental activist who dedicated her life to protecting endangered sea turtles, died from injuries sustained when her home was hit by an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon.
Activist's Death
Lebanese environmental activist Mona Khalil, whose work helped transform a stretch of southern Lebanon's coastline into one of the eastern Mediterranean's most important nesting sites for endangered sea turtles, has died after being wounded in an Israeli strike. The 76-year-old was injured two weeks ago when her house on Mansouri beach, near the city of Tyre, was hit during Israeli attacks. She died on Friday after several days in hospital, according to a local environmental group. The BBC has contacted the Israeli military for comment.
Khalil's Legacy
Khalil's conservation work began after a life-changing encounter with a turtle laying eggs on Mansouri beach in 1999. A refugee of the Lebanese civil war living in the Netherlands, she was visiting her family's seaside home when she witnessed a green turtle nesting. Learning that sea turtle populations were under threat, she committed to protecting them and later returned permanently to Lebanon. In 2000, she helped establish the Orange House Project, an eco-tourism and conservation initiative overlooking Mansouri beach. What started as a small guesthouse grew into a center for environmental education, wildlife protection, and marine research, attracting volunteers globally. She spent decades monitoring nesting sites, documenting marine life, and campaigning against coastal development, pollution, and destructive fishing. Her efforts led to protected status for parts of the coastline and raised awareness of threats to marine ecosystems.
Colleagues' Tributes
Friends and colleagues say Khalil remained committed despite years of conflict. Her home was damaged during the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, but she refused to leave the beach she had protected. Environmental groups say her legacy will endure through the conservation movement she built. Paul Abi Rached, president of Terre Liban, recalled visiting Khalil in 2017 with his children to release baby turtles into the sea. He said her love for turtles was evident, but so was her love for people, and that is perhaps her greatest legacy.
