Famed Lebanese turtle conservationist Mona Khalil dies of injuries sustained from Israeli strike

Mona Khalil, a renowned Lebanese turtle conservationist, has died from injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike that hit her home in Mansouri, southern Lebanon. The Lebanese wildlife conservation group Green Southerners announced her death, eulogizing Khalil for dedicating decades to protecting endangered sea turtles and their nesting habitats.

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Her work made her one of Lebanon’s most respected voices for marine conservation and biodiversity protection.

Khalil, 76, was seriously injured when her home was struck by an Israeli airstrike on June 4. Her assistant also suffered injuries in the attack. After being evacuated to a hospital and later transferred to the American University of Beirut Medical Center, she succumbed to her injuries on June 19.

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People come because here it's a very private place. It's a place where nobody is going to judge them, so long as they respect nature. Homosexuals, lesbians, whatever - nobody will judge them here.

Khalil, who founded the Orange House Project, was a prominent voice for marine conservation in Lebanon. She moved to Mansouri in the early 2000s and established the Orange House, a bed and breakfast intended to fund her environmentalist work. She also launched a project to protect loggerhead and green sea turtles on nearby beaches.

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Her death stands as a stark reminder that the ongoing violence in southern Lebanon is exacting a devastating toll on civilians, environmental defenders, and the natural heritage they sought to protect.

In a 2013 interview, Khalil described the Orange House as a place of tolerance, welcoming people of all backgrounds. Her work often involved confronting beachgoers and fishermen to ensure nesting turtles were undisturbed. Green Southerners stated that her death is a "stark reminder that the ongoing violence in southern Lebanon is exacting a devastating toll on civilians, environmental defenders, and the natural heritage they sought to protect."

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Mona Khalil’s legacy will endure in the coastline she devoted her life to protecting, the sea turtles she fought to defend, and the values of conservation and stewardship she championed.