Wolf vs Graukardinal

Canis lupus compared with Paroaria coronata

Key Differences

• Wolf is Critically Endangered while Graukardinal is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Wolf	Graukardinal
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Mammalia (Säugetiere)	Aves (Vögel)
Order	Carnivora (Raubtiere)	Passeriformes (Sperlingsvögel)
Family	Canidae (Dogs & Wolves)	Thraupidae
Genus	Canis (Dogs & Wolves)	Paroaria
Species	Canis lupus	Paroaria coronata

Evolutionary Relationship

Wolf and Graukardinal share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordatiere)

Conservation Status

Wolf

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Graukardinal

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Graukardinal

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Japan, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates), Europe (8 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Chile, Ecuador, Peru).

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.

Graukardinal

A striking medium-sized bird with brilliant red crest, white face, and grey body native to South America from Bolivia and Brazil to Argentina, red-crested cardinals have been introduced to Hawaii and other Pacific islands, becoming iconic garden birds in Honolulu. They inhabit dense shrubs, grassland edges, and suburban gardens, foraging on seeds and small insects. Despite their name and superficial resemblance, they are not closely related to North American cardinals but belong to the tanager family.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 6 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇱 Chile 🇪🇨 Ecuador 🇯🇵 Japan 🇳🇴 Norway 🇺🇸 United States