gray wolf vs Red Fox

Canis lupus compared with Vulpes vulpes

Key Differences

• gray wolf is Critically Endangered while Red Fox is Least Concern.
• gray wolf is carnivore while Red Fox is omnivore.
• gray wolf is 7.5x heavier than Red Fox.
• gray wolf lives longer (13 years vs 5 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	gray wolf	Red Fox
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 same	Canidae (Dogs & Wolves)	Canidae (Dogs & Wolves)
Genus	Canis (Dogs & Wolves)	Vulpes (Foxes)
Species	Canis lupus	Vulpes vulpes

Evolutionary Relationship

gray wolf and Red Fox share a common ancestor at the Family level: Canidae. (Dogs & Wolves)

Conservation Status

gray wolf

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Red Fox

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	gray wolf	Red Fox
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore
Average Lifespan	13 years	5 years
Average Length	1.6 m	70 cm
Average Weight	45.0 kg	6.0 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.

Red Fox

Habitat

Typically found in a wide range of habitat types.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Cyprus, Israel), Europe (8 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Argentina).

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。

Red Fox

赤狐（Vulpes vulpes）是地球上分布最广的野生肉食动物，在北半球及澳大利亚引入区域，从北极冻原到城市环境的各类栖息地均有分布。以锈红色皮毛、白色腹部和蓬松尾巴为特征。高度适应性强的杂食者，从兔子、田鼠到水果、人类垃圾无所不食。可用40余种不同的叫声进行交流。

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 7 countries:

🇦🇷 Argentina 🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇷🇺 Russia 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States