Residents of Victoria, Canada have been mourning the death of Takaya, the legendary wolf that has stolen the hearts of people around the world.
His name comes from the Lekwungen word for wolf and Takaya was part of a rare species of canine that thrive in marine environments. They live off a diet of salmon, shellfish, and even seals.
The lone animal had been living in the wild less than two miles from the city and locals would venture out to get a glimpse of the beloved animal.
People became infatuated with the beautiful wild wolf that was living so close to civilization and wanted to learn more about him. The wolf, in turn, became less afraid when he began to see that humans didn’t mean danger.
Unfortunately, not all humans had the same heart for Takaya.
This past March, Takaya became curious when he saw a hunter parked along a logging road with his two dogs. When Takaya approached them the hunter took out his rifle and killed the wolf on the spot.
Unfortunately, Takaya was killed because he started to trust people.
Citizens became outraged and started a petition, calling for a moratorium on wolf hunting in the area. So far, it’s received more than 65,000 signatures.
At Karmagawa, we’re so saddened by this incident. Takaya definitely didn’t deserve to be killed when he was just exploring his surroundings.
This is a reminder, though, of how much danger animals are exposed to when we start to encroach upon their land in the name of development. We have to remember that the land is home to many different animals and that what we do can disrupt their existence.
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What do you think about Takaya’s life being taken away so disturbingly? Leave a comment below.
(Cover image: Ghost Bear/Shutterstock)