Adrien Lesaffre, a wildlife photographer based in the French Pyrenees, has built a career around his connection to nature. Starting with an early fascination with the outdoors, he transitioned from landscape architecture to photography after discovering a darkroom during his studies. More than 14 years ago, his friends’ gift of a full-frame camera led him to pursue his passion for wildlife photography full-time, guiding tours and documenting rare species, including the critically endangered Ethiopian wolf.
Adrien’s fascination with wolves goes back years. “They evolved across the globe, and there’s something uniquely captivating about the Ethiopian wolf, which shares an ancestor with the grey wolf,” he explains. First introduced to the species through a documentary from Laurent Joffrion and Vincent Munier (‘Abyssinie, l’appel du loup’), Adrien was compelled to visit Ethiopia’s Bale Mountains, where the species thrives in an environment unlike any other in Africa.
Nectar foraging and pollination
At 3,400 meters, this Afro-Alpine habitat offers a unique mix of high-altitude steppe and volcanic landscapes. The Ethiopian wolf hunts rodents and, surprisingly, forages for nectar from a specific Ethiopian flower. “I noticed they were feeding on nectar, something no one had documented before,” Adrien tells us.
He contributed to a scientific publication titled: “Canids as Pollinators? Nectar foraging by Ethiopian wolves may contribute to the Pollination of Kniphofia foliosa“, published in Ecology, the renowned journal of the Ecological Society of America. The publication reports on the surprising nectar-feeding behaviour of the Ethiopian wolf on the flowers of the Ethiopian red hot poker (Kniphofia foliosa). This raises the possibility of Ethiopian wolves acting as pollinators for this plant species – an unusual example of plant-pollinator interaction involving a large carnivorous mammal. With this publication, Adrien’s images are receiving much-deserved attention.
Fast declining
“Photography is about sharing moments and bringing people closer to nature. I want to inspire others to care about these animals and their environments”, he says.
One of his most memorable experiences was when he witnessed a wolf pack’s first steps outside their den, a rare and emotional sight. On another trip, he captured close-up images of a female wolf feeding on flowers. This exhausting, thrilling experience resulted in images now sought by significant publications like BBC and CNN.
Endangered, with fewer than 500 individuals left, the Ethiopian wolf faces numerous challenges. Habitat loss, diseases spread by dogs, and human-wildlife conflict threaten their survival. “Rabies and canine distemper decimated a pack I was following, dropping it from 14 to just 5,” says Adrien. “Despite conservation efforts, such as vaccination programs, this wolf’s future remains precarious.”
Through his captivating images and the stories behind them, Adrien hopes to bring more attention to the plight of the Ethiopian wolf. “These wolves deserve more protection; my photography can help make that happen. I also started a movie project in cooperation with Baptiste Deturche and the organization Prenons la Pause. The film will be released in January 2026 and is titled ‘Le secret du loup.’ It will tell people all about the foraging behaviour of the Ethiopian wolf and about nature on Bale mountain.”
Adrien’s gear picks:
- The Boris Camera Bag – No doubt the best camera backpack I’ve ever had. Durable, spacious, and weatherproof.
- Bean bags for stable shots – I use them for the entire group on all my photography trips.
- Shower caps – Essential for protecting my gear in tough environments.
- The Ponting Bag – Very reliable for extreme weather conditions.
All images © Adrien Lesaffre
