She saw Takaya emerge from the ocean briefly and slip into the trees. Photograph: Cheryl Alexander/Wild Awake Images Takaya swam two miles to a scattering of tiny islands. Like many of the 370,000 residents of greater Victoria, the environmental consultant and photographer was curious about how the wolf could survive among the wind-battered trees of the tiny islands. Two years after Paton’s experience, Cheryl Alexander got her first glimpse of Takaya, in May 2014. Today an estimated 250 of them roam the 12,000 sq miles of Vancouver Island, a remarkable turnaround for the embattled predators. Fifty years ago, there were few coastal wolves in the region, victims of overhunting and habitat degradation. These predators thrive in marine environments and have become adept at living off a diet of salmon, shellfish and seals instead of deer. T ayaka was a rare species of canine known as the coastal or sea wolf.
Lone wolf tattoo meaning series#
In the eight years that followed, the wolf – named Takaya (the Lekwungen word for wolf) by the Songhees, a local First Nation whose territory encompasses the islands – quickly became a legendary figure, drawing fans from around the world captivated by stories of the resilience – and tenderness – of the young predator.īut his life ended in tragedy on Tuesday, in a series of events that laid bare both the cold uncertainties of life in the wild and the limits of an often-strained bond between humans and wild animals. From there, the wolf swam nearly two miles towards a scattering of tiny islands within sight of the city. Photograph: Leyland CeccoĪfter leaving a breathless Paton back in 2012, the young wolf traversed nearly 25 miles of urban sprawl, taking shelter in the backyards and parks of British Columbia’s capital, until he reached the south-east tip of Vancouver Island. Doug Paton got a Lone Wolf tattoo to mark his encounter with Takaya.
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