Photographer Outraged After Hunting Company Used Famous Wolf Image

A photographer was left appalled after a hunting company used her image of a famous wolf to advertise its blood sports services.

Cheryl Alexander is internationally recognized as Takaya the wolf’s spokesperson after spending countless hours with the animal on a small archipelago just south of Victoria, British Columbia (B.C.).

Takaya was a Canadian sea wolf that somehow swam two miles to the Discovery and Chatham Islands just off the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island. Alexander documented the wolf with her camera and learned much about his behavior.

Takaya eventually left the islands after eight years of living there by himself before he was shot and killed by a hunter on Vancouver Island in March 2020 — causing much international outrage from Takaya’s followers.

Recently, Alexander was horrified to discover that a company which arranges hunts in B.C. was using her most famous photo of Takaya to advertise its services.

“I was shocked to discover that a trophy hunting guide outfitter is using my iconic photo of Takaya — who was so cruelly killed by a trophy hunter himself — on their website where they encourage people to come to B.C. and pay thousands of dollars to kill a wolf for a trophy,” Alexander writes on her Instagram page.

“Why would this interior B.C. outfitter even use an image of a coastal wolf when the wolves they want to kill are interior grey wolves? Perhaps because Takaya is such a beautiful wolf – and this is what trophy hunters want to kill: large, healthy, gorgeous wolves.⁠”

The hunting company, Terminus, tells The Guardian that it didn’t mean to “offend” anyone with Alexander’s photo and blamed the web design company which made the website.

“July 27, I was contacted by a disgruntled person upset about a wolf picture that they recognized as a wolf named Takaya,” says Terminus’ owner.

“I had no idea of the story behind this wolf or even which of the three pictures on my website was of Takaya. I asked my web developer … to simply remove all three of the photos.

“July 29, they were removed. Neither I nor my web developer meant to offend anyone. Unfortunately, because of the media attention, we are now getting emails that are threatening and quite angry when we had nothing to do with the live pictures chosen. We are a legal family-run business.”

The Guardian notes that wolves in B.C. are seen as vermin that must be eradicated. Hunters will take the pelts and discard the remains. Alexander and local conservation groups want a temporary prohibition on wolf hunting in B.C.

“I was angry about the photo, but there’s a silver lining because it actually allows word to get out there about what’s happening in Canada regarding trophy hunting — the whole range of wild animals that are hunted in Canada is quite disgusting,” Alexander tells the British newspaper.

“We’re grappling with loss of biodiversity. That trophy hunters are continuing to hunt them just for fun and for recreation is not acceptable.”

Image credits: Photograph by Cheryl Alexander.