An enchanting and evocative look at the unique relationship between a solitary, island-dwelling wolf and a renowned wildlife photographer.
A lone wild wolf lives on a small group of uninhabited islands in British Columbia's Salish Sea, surrounded by freighter, oil tanker and other boat traffic and in close proximity to a large urban area. His name is Takaya, which is the Coast Salish First Nations people's word for wolf.
Cheryl Alexander studied and documented this unique wolf for years, unravelling the many mysteries surrounding his life. Her documentation of Takaya's journey, his life on the islands and the development of their deep connection is presented alongside a stunning collection of her photography.
Through journal entries, interviews, and a stunning collection of photography, Takaya: Lone Wolf addresses a number of profound questions and tells a story that is certain to inspire, enlighten, and touch the heart. It is the story of a wild animal, alone yet at peace.
"The story of Takaya and Cheryl reminds me of my long ago relationship with chimpanzee David Greybeard. It is only if you observe a complex animal over time, and with an open mind and heart that you can get a true understanding of the sentience of that animal, his or her being-ness. Cheryl exemplifies this approach – she is not afraid to become emotionally involved. And she knows how to tell a story that can be understood and enjoyed by anyone. I hope that this book will help create a better and more informed relationship between humans and wolves." -Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE; Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace
"Cheryl got to know Takaya better than anyone. They had trust in each other. Often, he'd approach her. There was, for them, no fear. And thanks to Cheryl, Takaya's life has become a gift to us. It would be nice if we decide to return Takaya's favor." -Carl Safina, author of Becoming Wild and Beyond Words
"Takaya's death should not be in vain. Rather, it should be an inflection point that triggers the end of the recreational killing of wolves in British Columbia." -National Observer
"Cheryl has done very valuable work in hours, days and more spent learning about a particular wolf. Because of their relatively high intelligence and social connectivity, wolves have much in common with humans. This helps to tear down the unfortunate old myth of the "big bad wolf". Her book is an important contribution to this topic." -Robert Bateman, artist and naturalist
"…Takaya's story is one of resilience, survival, and adaptability, but it's also one of beauty…" -Jezebel
"Astounding, moving and above all beautiful, this remarkable story inspires all of us to persevere and to value the world we live in." -W. Bruce Cameron, NYT #1 bestselling author
"A powerful and moving portrait of Takaya, a unique wolf that left a deep print on the hearts of British Columbians. Takaya's story breaks the mould on how we understand these animals, and stands as a symbol for the great pressures we exert on wolves across Canada." -Harley Rustad, journalist, editor; author of Big Lonely Doug: The Story of One of Canada's Last Great Trees
"Takaya: Lone Wolf tells the remarkable story of a wolf who, instead of mingling with other wolves, decided to observe humans by settling alone on an island right in front of British Columbia's busy capital and ended up having a one-to-one dialogue with a photographer visiting this island. A unique observational approach to understanding wolf ecology as well as a truly fascinating adventure, spiced up with numerous seal snacks." -Guillaume Chapron, PhD
"Cheryl Alexander's beautiful images and observations of Takaya's extraordinary island life provides the most heartfelt and undeniable proof of our potential to rekindle a relationship between our species that has been lost for far too long. We owe so much to Cheryl for not letting us
