American marten vs Wolf

Martes americana compared with Canis lupus

Key Differences

• American marten is Least Concern while Wolf is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	American marten	Wolf
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class same	Mammalia (Säugetiere)	Mammalia (Säugetiere)
Order same	Carnivora (Raubtiere)	Carnivora (Raubtiere)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Canidae (Dogs & Wolves)
Genus	Martes	Canis (Dogs & Wolves)
Species	Martes americana	Canis lupus

Evolutionary Relationship

American marten and Wolf share a common ancestor at the Order level: Carnivora. (Raubtiere)

Conservation Status

American marten

LC — Least Concern

Wolf

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	American marten	Wolf
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	13 years
Average Length	—	1.6 m
Average Weight	—	45.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

American marten

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in United States.

Wolf

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, deserts and xeric shrublands, and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, among 13 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Seychelles), Asia (Japan), Europe (5 countries), North America (7 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Marshall Islands, Vanuatu), and South America (5 countries). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

American marten

The American marten (Martes americana) is a species in the genus Martes. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Wolf

The most widely distributed wild canid, gray wolves range from North America across Eurasia in diverse habitats including tundra, forests, and grasslands. Highly social animals living in family packs led by a dominant breeding pair. As keystone predators, wolves regulate prey populations and profoundly shape ecosystem structure, as demonstrated by their reintroduction in Yellowstone. Once heavily persecuted, populations are recovering in many regions.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇺🇸 United States