Israeli attack kills famed turtle sanctuary ecologist in Lebanon | Lebanon

Lebanese marine activist Mona Khalil, who became a beloved figure in the country for her decades-long efforts to protect turtle nesting grounds near her home, died from the injuries she suffered in the Israeli attack.

Halil, 76, ran a shelter called the Orange House Project near the Mediterranean city of Tire. He hosted volunteers at his home to clean and monitor the mile-long beach and invited tourists to stay and learn about conservation.

Khalil, who was seriously injured in an Israeli airstrike on his home earlier this month, was transferred to the intensive care unit in Beirut and died from his injuries on Friday, according to his friends. His assistant, an Ethiopian woman, had burns but was recovering.

During the 1975-90 Lebanese civil war, Khalil moved to the Netherlands. In 1999, he returned to his family’s land, where one evening he had a chance encounter with a turtle digging a nest in the sand on the beach.

Halil painted the house orange, in accordance with the national color of the Netherlands, where he took refuge in times of need, and started a conservation and ecotourism project for the caretta caretta and green sea turtles nesting on the southern coast of Lebanon.

Because the bed and breakfast is located in territory repeatedly occupied by Israel, foreign tourists had to coordinate their travels with the Lebanese army. Those who managed to get permission would stay in Khalil’s idyllic home, where the flower-covered courtyard was often filled with rescued dogs and cats. You can reach the beach with a short walk through the banana gardens.

Regular power cuts and lack of air conditioning meant some visitors left negative reviews online; but most were positive, as Khalil provided what other hostels did not: the chance to witness and help turtles hatch and take part in the protection of their vulnerable populations.

Khalil’s efforts to protect the seas were initially resented by some locals, including property developers and fishermen who used dynamite fishing, a practice he successfully opposed. His house was also hit by Israeli bombardment. War with Hezbollah in 2006.

Despite Israel’s ongoing occupation, Khalil remained at home. In an interview in 2017, he said that he has not lost hope in protecting turtles and will continue indefinitely. “As long as God gives me life,” he said.

lebanon wildlife conservation group Green Southerners We mourned the loss of an environmental defender who they said inspired generations of Lebanese to value and protect their ecosystems.

“His work has made him one of Lebanon’s most respected voices on marine conservation and biodiversity conservation,” the group said in a statement.

“Green Southerners strongly condemn the attack that killed Mona Khalil and injured her assistant. The attack targeted a region long known for environmental protection, biodiversity preservation and public awareness. Her death stands as a stark reminder of the devastating toll Israeli attacks inflict on civilians, environmental defenders and the natural heritage they seek to protect.”

Live Love Beirut, an environmentally focused social enterprise group, said Khalil “will be remembered with an incredible legacy”.

“His life was selfless and impressive,” the group said. “May he rest in peace and may the work he cares about continue for generations to come.”