Wolves and coyotes often get mistaken for each other due to their similar appearances and behaviors. Both belong to the genus Canis, which includes dogs and jackals. However, their evolutionary paths split over thousands of years ago as they adapted to varied habitats.

Common Ancestry

The earliest canids emerged over 30 million years ago. Their descendants spread across continents, evolving diverse traits. Wolves and coyotes diverged from a common ancestor between 6,000 and 117,000 years ago. Gray wolves (Canis lupus) split off and specialized in group hunting of large ungulates. Coyotes (Canis latrans) followed their own route, focusing on smaller prey and scavenging opportunities.

Genetic studies show that environmental pressures shaped each species’ size, behavior, and social structure. Wolves came to dominate colder, forested or mountainous regions, while coyotes thrived in open landscapes. This heritage explains why wolves and coyotes still share several traits, yet differ in key ways.

Physical Similarities Between Wolves & Coyotes

Coyote

Wolves and coyotes share key canine traits from their common lineage.

  • Social Behavior: Both wolves and coyotes can live in family units or packs. Wolves typically form larger groups that can include parents, offspring, and occasionally unrelated members. Coyotes might gather in small family packs or remain as solitary pairs, yet they still coordinate on hunts if it helps secure bigger prey.
  • Senses and Communication: Their sense of smell and hearing are highly developed. They communicate using body language, facial expressions, scents, and vocalizations such as barks and howls. Both species howl to mark territory or rally their group members.
  • Diet and Hunting Methods: They are carnivorous generalists. Wolves often target deer, elk, or moose by working together. Coyotes favor smaller animals like rodents, rabbits, and birds, but they can group up to hunt deer in lean times. Each species may scavenge kills left by other predators.
  • Physical Endurance: Wolves and coyotes have great stamina. Their lean bodies, strong legs, and efficient gait allow them to track herds or chase fast-moving animals over long distances. This endurance approach differs from the short bursts seen in some big cats.

Differences Between Wolves & Coyotes

Let’s see how these two canines differ in their appearance and behavior.

Size and Build

The easiest way to differentiate wolves from coyotes is by their size. Wolves are two to three times larger, typically weighing between 70 and 120 lbs (32-54 kgs). They stand about 2.5 ft (0.8 m) tall at the shoulder. Their chests are broader, and their heads appear heavier. Coyotes typically weigh between 20 to 50 lbs (9-23 kgs) and stand around 1.5-2 ft (0.5-0.6 m) tall. They have leaner frames and narrower skulls, which make them appear longer from nose to tail.

Facial Features

A wolf’s muzzle is broader and more robust. Ears are shorter and rounder compared to coyotes, whose ears look taller and more pointed in proportion to the head. Coyotes’ faces appear sharply angled. Wolf faces appear blockier and heavier.

Coat Color and Texture

Gray wolves show coats from near-white to black, with many intermediate shades. Their fur is thicker, helping in cold climates. Coyotes often have tan, gray, or reddish tones, especially around their ears and legs. Their fur is slightly lighter and less dense than a wolf’s.

Territorial Range

Wolves in forest

Wolves guard extensive territories of up to hundreds of square miles, patrolling and marking boundaries together. Coyotes can adapt to smaller home ranges, especially near urban areas, where they find scattered resources. Wolves generally avoid highly developed regions, needing more space for hunting large game.

Vocalizations

Wolves howling

Wolf howls tend to be deeper and more resonant, echoing over large distances. Coyotes often produce higher-pitched yips, barks, and howls in quick succession. These “yip-howls” help small groups stay in contact and warn others away.

Breeding

Coyote den

Wolves and coyotes both breed once a year, usually around late winter. They also have about the same amount of pups, around 4-6 pups per litter. However, wolf pups may remain with the pack for a year or longer while young coyotes often disperse once they can fend for themselves.

Prey

Coyote with prey

Wolves use teamwork to hunt large ungulates by chasing and isolating weaker individuals. A study measuring hunting success in wolves found that coordinated pack tactics improved their ability to tackle prey much larger than themselves. Wolves often target deer, elk, or moose.

Coyotes have more variety in their diet. Their smaller size pushes them to focus on medium or small prey like rodents, rabbits, and birds. However, they also eat vegetation, fruit and insects. Sometimes, they group up to hunt deer.

Wolves have a bite force ranging roughly from 400 to 1,200 psi. Coyotes have a lower bite force, around 200-700 psi.

Who Would Win a Fight – Wolf vs. Coyote?

Wolves fighting

In a direct confrontation, the wolf holds a clear advantage. Wolves are larger, heavier, and possess a stronger bite force. A coyote may rely on speed or evasive maneuvers, but size and power typically favor the wolf. Coyotes tend to avoid such fights by staying out of wolf territory or by running if spotted. Actual wolf-coyote battles are rare because coyotes seek conflict only if cornered or defending pups.

Which Is More Dangerous to Humans – Wolf vs. Coyote?

While wolf attacks on humans are rare, they tend to be more dangerous when they do occur.

Both species prey on livestock and domestic pets. Overall, wolves are tougher, but coyotes may cause more frequent low-level conflicts due to their adaptability and close proximity to human neighborhoods.

Wolf & Coyote Species List

Wolf Species

  • Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) – Widely distributed in North America, Europe, and Asia
  • Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis) – Endemic to Ethiopia’s highlands
  • Red Wolf (Canis rufus) – Critically endangered, found in the southeastern United States
  • Eastern Wolf (Canis lycaon) – Some consider it a subspecies of the gray wolf

Coyote Species

Coyote
  • Coyote (Canis latrans) – Found throughout most of North and Central America

Conservation Status

Gray wolves were heavily hunted in past centuries. Their numbers plunged due to habitat loss and eradication programs aimed at protecting livestock. Modern conservation efforts, including legal protection and controlled reintroductions, have helped some populations rebound. Gray wolves in the contiguous United States are protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Red wolves remain critically endangered. Only a small population exists in the southeastern US. Ethiopian wolves also face risks from disease, human-wildlife conflict, and habitat encroachment.

Coyotes have flourished in many regions, partly because wolves were driven out of large areas. As top predators declined, coyotes filled that gap. They often adapt well to suburban and farmland environments, finding food in garbage or leftover pet food. Wildlife managers sometimes try to limit coyote populations near ranches or neighborhoods. Coyote are considered vermin or pests in many areas of the United States and hunting them is permitted.

Do Wolves or Coyotes Live in Tanzania?

In Tanzania, there are no true gray wolves or coyotes.

African golden wolf

The closest relative is the African golden wolf (Canis lupaster), which was once classified as a golden jackal. Genetic evidence points to this species being distinct. It roams grasslands and open country, hunting rodents and small mammals. It generally avoids conflict with big predators like lions or hyenas by staying alert and moving at dawn or dusk.