Elemental Animals - Day 2: Water
(Lunar Phases/Crescent)
Featuring Takaya, the lone Coastal Wolf that was loved to death. He lived in Canada, on a little stretch of islands where his diet consisted of seals, salmon, and shellfish. Word spread about a lone wolf living on these islands and his popularity grew, as people would paddle out hoping to catch a fleeting glimpse of him. Government officials worried about the day where there’d be an attack, so they set out traps for him. But to their surprise he was unable to be trapped, he’d simply ignore the bait. The Songhees First Nation protested against the removal of the wolf, as he was a symbol of the Lekwungen people and they were thrilled about having a wolf finally return. As his popularity grew, Takaya became less wary of human contact as well as contact with pets. A photographer, Cheryl Alexander, felt drawn to the wolf and wanted to know and observe his story. With her encounters she was able to sit just 3 feet away from him. Doug Paton found himself face to face with the wolf, and then Takaya just trotted away before glimpsing back at Paton. He later got ‘Lone Wolf’ tattooed on his arm in remembrance of the wolf and his encounter. (Read the full story. Link in Bio!! Warning, might make you cry.) 
Coastal (Sea) Wolves are grouped together with the general wolf population even though their DNA is genetically different. Otherwise, with their small population they could be considered an Endangered Species.