Mona Khalil, Lebanon’s Beloved ‘Turtle Protector,’ Dies After Airstrike

Mona Khalil, the pioneering marine ecologist who spent over two decades serving as the guardian of endangered sea turtles on Lebanon’s southern coast, has died at the age of 77. Khalil succumbed to severe injuries on Friday, following an Israeli airstrike that struck her home near the city of Tyre earlier last week. Her passing marks the end of a life defined by selfless environmental stewardship amid the escalating turmoil of regional conflict.

The environmental organization Live Love Tyre confirmed the news in a heartfelt statement, mourning the loss of a woman whose legacy is inextricably linked to the sands of al-Mansouri beach. “Through it all, Mona chose to stay and care for the turtles,” the group wrote. “Her life was selfless and impactful.” Her death occurred on a day of intensified military activity in southern Lebanon, highlighting the heavy toll that the ongoing conflict continues to exert on the country’s civilian population and its cultural icons.

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1949, Khalil’s life path shifted permanently in 1999 during a chance encounter with a sea turtle emerging from the ocean to nest. That singular moment ignited a lifelong mission to protect loggerhead and green sea turtles—species currently facing the threat of extinction in the eastern Mediterranean due to plastic pollution, coastal development, and the encroachment of fishing nets. In 2000, she founded the Orange House, an eco-tourism project that became a sanctuary for both wildlife and conservation volunteers.

Beyond her direct work with sea turtles, Khalil was a tireless advocate for the preservation of Lebanon’s coastline. She played a critical role in documenting local marine life and campaigning against the pervasive light and water pollution that threatened her region’s fragile ecosystems. Her work transformed al-Mansouri into one of the few safe havens for hatchlings in the country, earning her national respect and a reputation as a fierce protector of biodiversity.

Tributes have poured in from across the region, with many highlighting the void her absence leaves in both the scientific and local communities. Journalist and frequent collaborator Fadia Joumaa lamented the loss on social media, describing Khalil as a mentor and a guardian of life itself. “You have left us, yet you remain within us,” Joumaa wrote, echoing the sentiments of many who viewed Khalil not just as a conservationist, but as a symbol of resilience in a land frequently scarred by violence. Her legacy of quiet, persistent care serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of war and the enduring importance of the nature she fought so hard to save.