A Carnivore Among Flowers: Rediscovering the Ethiopian Wolf

Adrien Lesaffre is a French photographer, naturalist, and visual storyteller. Specializing in Afro-alpine ecosystems, he dedicates his work to documenting endangered wildlife, especially the Ethiopian wolf. Between science and poetry, his images aim to stir emotion, raise awareness, and preserve the memory of the living world.

In the highlands of Ethiopia, where the clouds brush the mountaintops and silence reigns, survives one of the rarest carnivores on Earth: Canis simensis, the Ethiopian wolf. This talk will offer a personal and scientific journey into the world of this remarkable species, through field stories, rare imagery, and the latest discoveries. From its surprising evolutionary history to its complex social behaviors—such as cooperative breeding—the wolf reveals an intricate and often overlooked existence. But it is an unexpected, almost poetic behavior that challenges convention: flower-licking. What if this predator was also a pollinator? At the crossroads of science and wonder, this lecture invites us to rethink our relationship with the wild and to embrace beauty as a tool for understanding and conservation.

In addition, you will also be able to see one of his photographs of the Ethiopian wolf in the outdoor exhibition next to Marquee 2, available during all three days of the festival. This exhibition is sponsored by Granja San Francisco and will focus on pollination.