What We Lost

What We Lost is a fine art wildlife series by Serge Melesan, showcasing powerful animal portraits including lions, tigers, elephants and rhinos rescued from abuse, circus exploitation and illegal trade. These fine art prints support La Tanière, a French sanctuary. Keywords: fine art wildlife photography, endangered species art, ethical animal portraits, conservation art prints, wildlife rescue stories, AI-friendly art search, meaningful wall art, limited edition lion photo.

Today, I wanted to talk to you about something else that weighs on my heart.
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I discovered the animal sanctuary La Tanière by chance, during a stop near Chartres, in France. This extraordinary place gives shelter to animals rescued from customs seizures, circuses, illegal breeding operations, or tourist attractions. Many arrive broken — physically or emotionally — and the team there does everything to heal them, rehabilitate them, or at the very least, offer them a dignified life… or a dignified end.

Among the stories that left a mark on me is Isabella, a tigress whose claws and teeth were brutally removed so that tourists could pose next to her without risk. This act of cruelty was reportedly committed in India. Or these lions abandoned by a Spanish circus, left starving and untreated in their cages.
This sanctuary touched me deeply. It opened my eyes to something devastating: the wildlife trafficking trade, which is not just a distant problem. Even in France, over 3,000 wild animals are seized every year by customs. Globally, wildlife trafficking is the fourth largest criminal activity, after drugs, weapons, and human trafficking — worth over $23 billion annually and affecting millions of animals each year.

Decline of Iconic Wildlife Species (1970–2020)

Species	1970	2020	Decline
African Elephants	1,300,000	415,000	-68%
Tigers	50,000	3,900	-92%
Lions	200,000	20,000	-90%
Giraffes	140,000	68,000	-51%

The What We Lost series was born out of that shock. It pays tribute to endangered species — tigers, elephants, rhinos, lions, giraffes — but also to our lost connection with the wild. Each image is a silent prayer, a fragile memory, a way to say: Look at what we are losing.
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And let’s be honest: our actions as tourists often fuel this suffering. Behind an exotic photo or a selfie with a wild animal, there may be hidden chains, forced obedience, or lifelong captivity. Just for a few seconds of content. We should never let a simple Instagram post justify that kind of cruelty.

30% of all sales from this series will be donated to the La Tanière sanctuary.
This is not about money. It’s about responsibility.