Key facts
- Lebanese marine ecologist Mona Khalil died from injuries sustained in an Israeli strike.
- Khalil, 76, was known for her over 25 years of work protecting endangered sea turtles.
Mona Khalil, a 76-year-old Lebanese marine activist known for her work protecting endangered sea turtles, has died from injuries sustained in an Israeli strike on her home in southern Lebanon. Her death has been mourned by environmental groups who lauded her decades-long conservation efforts.
The death of Mona Khalil highlights the human cost of ongoing conflict in southern Lebanon and the potential loss of vital environmental conservation efforts and expertise in the region.
Mona Khalil, a 76-year-old Lebanese marine activist and ecologist, has died from injuries sustained in an Israeli strike on her home in the southern village of al-Mansouri. Khalil was widely recognized for her extensive work over more than 25 years dedicated to protecting endangered loggerhead and green sea turtles nesting along Lebanon's southern coast. She founded the Orange House Project, an initiative that began as a guesthouse and evolved into a center for environmental education, wildlife protection, and marine research, attracting international volunteers.
Khalil's conservation efforts were spurred by a pivotal encounter with a nesting turtle in 1999. Despite facing challenges, including conflict in southern Lebanon and damage to her home during previous wars, she remained steadfast in her commitment to conservation. She actively campaigned against coastal development, pollution, and destructive fishing practices, contributing to the protected status of certain coastal areas. Environmental groups, including the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon and Green Southerners, have paid tribute to her legacy, highlighting her role as a dedicated environmental defender and a source of inspiration for generations.
Her death occurs amidst an escalation of Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon. Julien Jreissati of Greenpeace Middle East and North Africa stated that Khalil's passing represents a significant loss for the environmental movement in Lebanon and the wider region.