gray wolf vs Lion

Canis lupus compared with Panthera leo

Key Differences

• gray wolf is Critically Endangered while Lion is Vulnerable.
• Lion is 4.2x heavier than gray wolf.
• Lion lives longer (15 years vs 13 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	gray wolf	Lion
Kingdom same	Animalia (动物界)	Animalia (动物界)
Phylum same	Chordata (脊索动物门)	Chordata (脊索动物门)
Class same	Mammalia (哺乳動物)	Mammalia (哺乳動物)
Order same	Carnivora (食肉目)	Carnivora (食肉目)
Family	Canidae (Dogs & Wolves)	Felidae (Cats)
Genus	Canis (Dogs & Wolves)	Panthera (Big Cats)
Species	Canis lupus	Panthera leo

Evolutionary Relationship

gray wolf and Lion share a common ancestor at the Order level: Carnivora. (食肉目)

Conservation Status

gray wolf

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Lion

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~23.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	gray wolf	Lion
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	13 years	15 years
Average Length	1.6 m	2.5 m
Average Weight	45.0 kg	190.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

gray 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.

Lion

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 7 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Neotropic and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Kenya. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

gray wolf

灰狼是分布最广的野生犬科动物，分布范围从北美横跨欧亚大陆，栖息于冻原、森林和草原等多种生境。高度社会化的动物，以由占优势的繁殖对领导的家族群体生活。作为关键捕食者，狼调节猎物种群并深刻影响生态系统结构，黄石公园的重引入项目对此有充分证明。曾遭到严重迫害，但目前许多地区的种群正在恢复。

Lion

非洲最大的野生猫科动物，体重可达250公斤，是撒哈拉以南非洲稀树草原和草地中唯一营群居生活的猫科动物。雄狮以其标志性的鬃毛著称。作为顶级捕食者，狮子调节草食动物种群，维持生态系统平衡。因栖息地丧失和人兽冲突被列为易危物种。

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇨🇴 Colombia 🇪🇨 Ecuador