Comparing Red Wolf and Coyote
The 6 Key Differences Between Red Wolf vs Coyote
The most noticeable differences between a red wolf and a coyote are their size, muzzle, and colors. The red wolf is larger than a coyote by a significant amount, almost doubling its weight but standing just about the same height as the other. The red wolf’s muzzle is shorter and thicker than the coyote. A coyote has a long, narrow muzzle. Lastly, the colors of the red wolf include red, black, grey, brown, and white. The red color is not that bright. In fact, it’s closer to a cinnamon color, so it can be mistaken for the buff color on a coyote by people that are not familiar with the latter’s color. Coyotes can be buff, black, grey, or brown. However, red wolves tend to have a lot of bright white on their legs and a cream underbelly, and that can help people differentiate between the two creatures.
Red Wolf vs Coyote: Lifespan
The red wolf tends to live for 10-12 years in the wild if they are not hunted. Coyotes can live longer since there are more of them to hunt in packs to secure kills. Coyotes live about 10-15 years.
Red Wolf vs Coyote: Size
Red wolves are larger than coyotes, but they are shorter than them, too. A red wolf can weigh up to 90lbs, grow up to 47 inches in length, and stand about 26 inches tall. The coyote typically weighs about 45lbs at maximum, only reaches a length of 35in, but it can grow the same height, about 26 inches. On average, though, the red wolf is a larger creature than a coyote.
Red Wolf vs Coyote: Muzzle
Red wolves have a shorter, thicker muzzle than a coyote. In fact, coyotes’ muzzles are noticeably narrow and long compared to many canines their size. The muzzle is distinctly different, but it’s also one that can be harder to identify without having the other animal in close proximity for comparison.
Red Wolf vs Coyote: Range
The range of the red wolf and the coyote overlaps in some places. The coyote’s range is much larger than the red wolf’s former range. We say former because the red wolf had fewer than 100 members of the species living in the wild, and it’s unknown if they will go extinct in the wild soon. The red wolf lived throughout the Southeastern United States, a much smaller range than the coyote. Coyotes live throughout all of North America and into Central America. They’re common in the prairie lands of the United States and often seen throughout Mexico.
Red Wolf vs Coyote: Colors
The red wolf has some red colors in its fur, but the red can also be mistaken for a buff color that is found in coyotes. Aside from many people simply not knowing what a red wolf looks like, the colors are another point of confusion. Red wolves have a reddish-brown or cinnamon color prominently featured in their coats. However, they tend to have white legs and a cream-colored underbelly that can help someone identify the creature. Coyotes can have a buff color, grey, brown, and black in their coats. Although the buff in their fur can be confused for a washed-out red color, it’s not as reddish as the red wolf’s fur colors.
Red Wolf vs Coyote: Calls
Both the red wolf and the coyote engage in howling to communicate with other members of their species. Yet, the howls of a coyote and a red wolf are different. Red wolves have long howls that are similar to their cousins, the grey wolf. They are drawn out howls and they’re quite loud but use lower frequencies in their vocalizations. Coyotes also howl, but their howls are not long and drawn out. Instead, they use a great deal of yapping noises to punctuate their howls.
Red Wolf vs Coyote: Conservation Status
Lastly, the red wolf and the coyote have different conservation statuses. The red wolf is nearly critically endangered and nearly extinct in the wild, with as few as 30 of the creatures living in small packs. More red wolves may be out there, but they might not be currently tracked. One thing is for certain, they are in trouble. The coyote is a creature of least concern. They are numerous in the wild and face no potential threats to their existence. Coyotes are widespread and have a very high population. Red wolves and coyotes might look very similar, but they have some significant differences. It’s important to know these differences in case a person spots one of these creatures in the wild. They are on the tipping point of disappearing from the face of the planet, so it might be better to know what they look like to avoid harming their population even more while hunting. In short, red wolves are larger than coyotes, have a distinct reddish color in their fur, and have shorter muzzles than coyotes.
