Lebanon’s wildlife faces growing threats from war, wildfires, habitat destruction, and widespread misconceptions about animals such as snakes. Yet even in the most difficult circumstances, conservationists continue working to protect the species and ecosystems that form an essential part of the country’s natural heritage.
In this episode, we sit down with Rami Khashab, herpetology and wildlife conservation expert, to explore his work protecting Lebanon’s reptiles, amphibians, sea turtles, and other wildlife.
From protecting endangered sea turtle nests along the southern Lebanese coast during the war, to responding to wildlife affected by fires and challenging the fear surrounding snakes, Khashab takes us inside the realities of conservation on the ground.
We discuss the importance of Lebanon’s coastline for sea turtles, the impact of conflict and wildfires on biodiversity, the crucial role snakes play in agriculture and healthy ecosystems, and what people should actually do when they encounter wildlife.
Above all, the conversation asks a simple but important question: How can we learn to coexist with Lebanon’s wildlife instead of fearing or destroying it?
