In 2012, a lone wolf appeared on an island near Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

When he first showed up on the island, local authorities said he couldn’t survive. There were no deer to hunt, no year-round source of fresh water. They said that he would be a danger, as he was so close to the city. They debated shooting him. Yet somehow, against the odds, the wolf found a way to survive and thrive, demonstrating remarkable resilience and adaptability. This wolf is known as Takaya.

For eight years, conservation photographer and naturalist Cheryl Alexander observed and documented Takaya’s life on the island. She produced a documentary about the wolf, entitled “Takaya: Lone Wolf,” which premiered on CBC’s Nature of Things in October 2019. The documentary was subsequently broadcast on BBC in the United Kingdom and on ARTE in continental Europe. The film has also been featured in several film festivals and has received widespread critical acclaim.

Takaya’s story touched people around the world. There was something about his presence and bearing, his beauty and independence and elemental wildness, that deeply moved people. Following the broadcast of the film, people began to spontaneously create artwork in honour of Takaya. They sent their artwork to Cheryl, often including personal messages about what Takaya’s story meant to them.

In January 2020, for reasons unknown, Takaya left the island and swam to the city’s shore. He wandered the streets of Victoria for two days. (To see a map of his path through the city, click here.) On his second day in the city, he was tranquilized and relocated to the wilderness on the west coast of Vancouver Island. In March 2020, Takaya was shot and killed by a hunter near Shawnigan Lake, approximately 50 kilometres away from where he was originally released. His death sparked outrage and deep sorrow among the global community that had gathered around him. Artists from Vancouver Island and beyond were inspired to create visual tributes to honour the life and legacy of this remarkable wolf. This artwork was featured in the Takaya Lone Wolf International Arts Festival on October 24-25, 2020.

Takaya’s Legacy Project was established in order to celebrate Takaya, to share his story with a wider community, and to showcase the stunning and diverse collection of tributes that have been created in his honour. This organization will extend Takaya’s legacy by raising funds to support organizations that preserve wild spaces, protect wild creatures, and end the recreational and government-mandated killing of wolves.