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Cougar vs Gray wolf

Cougar vs gray wolf
Cougar is larger on weight
Cougar is 1.7× gray wolf on weight.

A cougar 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.
Cougar Gray wolf
Weight 29–100 kg 23–62 kg
Height 0.6–0.8 m 0.66–0.95 m
Length 1–1.8 m 1.05–1.6 m
Top speed 80 km/h 50–65 km/h
Typical lifespan 8–20 yr 6–16 yr

What the numbers say

  • Cougar is 1.7× gray wolf on weight.
  • Gray wolf is somewhat greater than cougar on height — about 1.1×.
  • Cougar and gray wolf are near enough identical on length.
  • Cougar is somewhat greater than gray wolf on top speed — about 1.3×.
  • Cougar is somewhat greater than gray wolf on typical lifespan — about 1.3×.

Weight compared.

Cougar 29–100 kg
Gray wolf 23–62 kg

Cougar

The widest-ranging land mammal in the Americas; despite the size it is more closely related to the domestic cat than to lions.

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, cougar or gray wolf?
Cougar is 1.7× gray wolf on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do cougars and gray wolfs compare on height?
Cougar: 0.6–0.8 m. Gray wolf: 0.66–0.95 m. Gray wolf is somewhat greater than cougar on height — about 1.1×.
How do cougars and gray wolfs compare on length?
Cougar: 1–1.8 m. Gray wolf: 1.05–1.6 m. Cougar and gray wolf are near enough identical on length.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Wikidata — Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)
  2. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution

How these figures are compiled and checked