8 Differences between Coyotes and Wolves

Have you ever wondered if there are any specific differences between coyotes and wolves? At a glance, they look similar, but if you look closer at them, they have some specific differences such as some animals in the Sonoran desert.

The differences between coyotes and wolves become is always becomes a unique question that has never been boring to ask. Those kinds of animals are always capable to make people confuse to know them better, different from some animals in Costa Rica’s rain forest.

If you are wondering what kind of differences are between coyotes and wolves, here we have some of them on the list below. We already classified their differences that look different from some animals in the tropical grassland so that you can understand their differences correctly.

Let’s check them out!

1. Body size

Looking at the differences between coyotes and wolves can be easily recognized by their body size. Coyotes have a smaller body size compared to wolves. In the long coyote’s life, they are only capable to grown and weighing up to 50 pounds.

Meanwhile, wolves could grow and weigh up to 15 pounds. They could grow taller up to 32 inches tall compared to coyotes which could only grow up to 24 inches tall. Coyotes only have about 4.5 inches long that look similar to some animals in the East African savanna while wolves could grow 6.5 inches long.

2. Color

Looking at the differences between coyotes and wolves can be easily recognized by their color that different from some animals in the Borneo rain forest. Starting from their color appearances from their face, coyotes have a darker color around their head into their narrow nose.

Compare this to the wolves that have longer noses and lighter colors spread around their face. It makes them easily recognize the darker color around their ears. Coyotes will have a lighter color around their ears.

Other than that, coyotes have a mix color of tan and grey on their fur. Comparing to wolves that have a combination of white, black, brown, and grey colors on their fur. Sometimes, they even have a silvery blue color on their fur.

3. Face shape

Looking at the differences between coyotes and wolves can be easily recognized by their facial shape. Coyotes has smaller face compared to wolves. They also have narrow noses and bigger ears that shape pointedly.

Compare to wolves, they have rounded ears that are smaller than coyotes. Even so, they have bigger faces with longer noses. Moreover, they have fluffier from their face toward their body compared to coyotes that have thinner fur.

Other than that, wolves have muscular looks compared to coyotes. Their big face helps them to make steadier looks compared to coyotes that seem weaker.

4. Eating habit

Understanding the differences between coyotes and wolves can be easily recognized by their eating habit. Both of them are classified as carnivores but come with different eating habits.

Coyotes love to consume some versatile predators, such as rabbits, snakes, deer, birds, mice, and other animals that are similar to them. Compare to wolves, they only eat some herbivorous animals such as goats, elk, reindeer, moose, and other animals that are similar to them.

5. Behavior

Understanding the differences between coyotes and wolves can be easily known by looking at their behavior. Coyotes could live based on their living of prey. As their prey has a bigger size, they would gather the others in their family.

Outside that things, coyotes love to spend their time alone or only with their female pairs. Compare to wolves, that pretty sociable, make they always move around in a group. They are rarely spending their time alone except they are getting separated from their group.

6. Habitat

Understanding the differences between coyotes and wolves can be easily known by their habitat. Coyotes love to live in dry land such as a desert, oak savannah, alpine and dry forest. Compare to wolves that love a wet area they could be easily found in the deepest of the forest and rocky mountains.

Some wet forests that exist in remote areas would be the perfect area for their living. Other than that, coyotes have a difficult time surviving and adapting in suburban and city areas. Meanwhile, wolves that love to live in remote areas could easily adapt to some cities that are closer to humans.

7. Interaction to human

Understanding the differences between coyotes and wolves can be recognized by their interaction with a human. Both of them are kind of social animals but have different interactions when it comes to humans.

Coyotes has a longer adaptation and difficulties interacting with human as they often harm by human as are mistaken for wolves Even so, they could be friendlier to human than wolves. Meanwhile, wolves could adapt to humans but easily being aggressive with other wolves.

8. Conservatory

Based on the conservatory status, the differences between coyotes and wolves can be easily recognized. Both of them are not endangered but still should be protected under a conservatory area to avoid harm from humans involving.

In some areas, such as North America, grey wolves consider the most endangered animals compare to coyotes. That is why most of them live in the conservatory area. As native animals in North America, wolves are always protected under the conservatory area. They could easily find around there, while coyotes commonly find in some of Alberta and Canada.

So, there are some differences between coyotes and wolves that you should understand more about. Have you ever seen them all in one area? If so, now you must be could easily tell the differences between them after knowing the facts above.