By josie january 12th, 2023
They share many characteristics, both physical and behavioral, but let’s tease out on what points they differ.
Today we’ll be carefully comparing two closely related canines: the coyote vs. wolf.
The wolf has a wider face and a dark nose pad.
A typical northern male measures around 6.6 feet long, stands 30 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs 100 pounds lbs
Wolves usually have yellow-white fur in the underparts and legs; the upper body’s fur is typically gray, brown, reddish, black, or whitish.
The wolf has a wider face and a dark nose pad.
A typical northern male measures around 6.6 feet long, stands 30 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs 100 pounds lbs
Wolves usually have yellow-white fur in the underparts and legs; the upper body’s fur is typically gray, brown, reddish, black, or whitish.
The lifespan of wolves varies greatly depending on whether they are in the wild or captivity.
In the wild the average lifespan is between 6-8 years (although some reach 13-15).
In captivity they can reach 18 years (the oldest wolf documented ever reached 19 years).
In captivity, Coyotes can survive 13 to 15 years and maybe even 18 years if provided with proper care.
In the wild, they have an average life span of 6-8 years.
However, many of them die before they even turn three.
Wolves Are carnivores. In one sitting, they can consume up to 20 lbs of meat (but to stay healthy they need to consume 4 pounds daily.)
Wolves typically hunt packs of ungulates (huge hoofed prey animals) such as moose, white-tail deer, and elk.
They frequently travel great distances because they follow their prey’s migratory routes.
The coyote is an omnivorous species.
Still, they won’t hesitate to feast on dead carrion if it’s available.
Its primary food sources are small mammals like mice, rabbits, and squirrels, and occasionally larger species like deer.
Coyotes prefer to hunt live prey, sometimes using the pack’s cooperation and other times creeping up on their target alone.
Wolves can survive in various settings, including deserts, tundra, woods, and forests.
They have populations in Alaska, northern Michigan, northern Wisconsin, western Montana, northern Idaho, northeast Oregon, and the Yellowstone region of Wyoming.
The coyote has a wide range spanning most of North America, from Panama in the south to Canada and Alaska in the north.
Still, it is most common in the Great Plains.
Coyotes have adapted to coexist with people in urban and suburban areas as they become more widespread.
There is a dominant male and a dominant female in every pack and these two are the only ones who will breed if the pack is tiny.
Puppies are born with short noses, closed eyes and weigh less than two lbs.
These animals typically give birth to litters of 4-6 after a gestation period of about three months.
Though not always for life, men and females may team up for several years.
Both parents are involved in feeding and caring for the offspring.
The female will give birth to six to eight pups on average inside the den after bearing them for about two months.
The puppies are fed food their parents have regurgitated after weaning, which takes a little over a month.
While hunting, wolves use their excellent hearing and extraordinary sense of smell to locate their prey.
Wolves pursue and test their prey to find the ones they can kill with the least amount of effort and risk of harm.
An attacking wolf may be hurt or killed by the antlers and hooves of large animals, such as a moose or caribou.
Coyotes are crepuscular hunters who prefer to hunt in the dawn and dusk hours.
Coyotes that hunt alone fiercely guard their kills and won’t share their food with any other coyotes, not even pack members.
Coyotes have a history of hunting in packs, especially when hunting large prey like white-tailed deer.
These canines are cute from afar, but you better keep your distance - by now you know what vicious predators they are.
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