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African wild dog vs Gray wolf

African wild dog vs gray wolf
Gray wolf is larger on weight
Gray wolf is 1.6× African wild dog on weight.

An African wild dog and a gray wolf can be compared on 5 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

Side by side

Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.
African wild dog Gray wolf
Weight 18–36 kg 23–62 kg
Height 0.6–0.8 m 0.66–0.95 m
Length 0.75–1.4 m 1.05–1.6 m
Top speed 66 km/h 50–65 km/h
Typical lifespan 7–11 yr 6–16 yr

What the numbers say

  • Gray wolf is 1.6× African wild dog on weight.
  • African wild dog and gray wolf are near enough identical on height.
  • Gray wolf is somewhat greater than African wild dog on length — about 1.4×.
  • African wild dog is somewhat greater than gray wolf on top speed — about 1.1×.
  • African wild dog is somewhat greater than gray wolf on typical lifespan — about 1.3×.

Weight compared.

Gray wolf 23–62 kg
African wild dog 18–36 kg

African wild dog

A pack hunter with one of the highest kill success rates of any large predator.

Gray wolf

The largest wild canid and the ancestor of the domestic dog.

This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

Common questions

Which is bigger, African wild dog or gray wolf?
Gray wolf is 1.6× African wild dog on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do African wild dogs and gray wolfs compare on height?
African wild dog: 0.6–0.8 m. Gray wolf: 0.66–0.95 m. African wild dog and gray wolf are near enough identical on height.
How do African wild dogs and gray wolfs compare on length?
African wild dog: 0.75–1.4 m. Gray wolf: 1.05–1.6 m. Gray wolf is somewhat greater than African wild dog on length — about 1.4×.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution

How these figures are compiled and checked