🐕 African wild dog vs Coyote 🐺
The African wild dog is about 3 times as long as the coyote. The African wild dog weighs about twice as much as the coyote.
Getting the animals ready…
| Row | 🐕 African wild dog | 🐺 Coyote |
|---|---|---|
| Size The African wild dog is about 3 times as long as the coyote. | 3.4 to 4.9 ft1.1 to 1.5 m1 | 16 to 20 in41 to 51 cm2 |
| Top speed We don't have a checked number for the coyote yet. | 34 mph55 km/h1 | no checked number yet |
| Weight The African wild dog weighs about twice as much as the coyote. | 40 to 79 lb18 to 36 kg1 | 25 to 35 lb11 to 16 kg2 |
| Lives The African wild dog usually lives about twice as long as the coyote. | 10 to 11 years10 to 11 years1 | 6 years6 years2 |
| Eats The African wild dog eats meat; the coyote eats plants and animals. | mammals such as impala, and sick or hurt wildebeest and zebra | mice, rabbits, insects, berries and fruit |
| Lives in They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. | grassland, savanna and open woodland in southern Africa | nearly all of North America, from deserts and forests to big cities |
Which one? African wild dog or coyote
🏁 Who would win the race?
We don't have a checked top speed for the coyote yet, so there is no race.
We only race. Real animals mostly avoid each other. A race is the only fair contest: who reaches the tree first, by top speed. Our face-off books compare real numbers, and nobody gets hurt.
10 things to know about African wild dog vs Coyote
- The African wild dog: A long-legged, patchy-coated wild dog of the African savanna.
- The coyote: A clever wild dog whose yips and howls fill the night.
- They are the same kind of animal: both are mammals.
- The African wild dog is about 3 times as long as the coyote: 1 against 2.
- The African wild dog weighs about twice as much as the coyote. That is 1 for the African wild dog and 2 for the coyote.
- The African wild dog usually lives about twice as long as the coyote. Usual lifespans: 1 for the African wild dog and 2 for the coyote.
- The African wild dog eats mammals such as impala, and sick or hurt wildebeest and zebra. The coyote eats mice, rabbits, insects, berries and fruit.
- The African wild dog lives in grassland, savanna and open woodland in southern Africa. The coyote lives in nearly all of North America, from deserts and forests to big cities. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
- The African wild dog: in danger (Endangered on the IUCN Red List). 3
- The coyote: doing fine (Least Concern on the IUCN Red List). 4
Wow facts
🐕 African wild dog
- An African wild dog can run fast in a chase.
- Its coat is a patchwork of colors.
- It lives on the savanna and in open woodland.
🐺 Coyote
- A coyote can hear a mouse moving under the snow.
- A few coyotes together can sound like a whole pack howling.
- Coyotes sometimes team up with badgers to hunt.
Questions kids ask about African wild dog and Coyote
Which is bigger, African wild dog or coyote?
The African wild dog is about 3 times as long as the coyote: 1 against 2.
Which is heavier, African wild dog or coyote?
The African wild dog weighs about twice as much as the coyote. That is 1 for the African wild dog and 2 for the coyote.
Which lives longer, African wild dog or coyote?
The African wild dog usually lives about twice as long as the coyote. Usual lifespans: 1 for the African wild dog and 2 for the coyote.
What do African wild dog and coyote eat?
The African wild dog eats mammals such as impala, and sick or hurt wildebeest and zebra. The coyote eats mice, rabbits, insects, berries and fruit.
Where do African wild dog and coyote live?
The African wild dog lives in grassland, savanna and open woodland in southern Africa. The coyote lives in nearly all of North America, from deserts and forests to big cities. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
Who would win, African wild dog or coyote?
We never show fights, because a fight is not a fair way to compare animals. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. What we can compare is how big, how heavy, how fast, how long they live and what they eat, as above.
📤 Share this pair
The link carries only the two animals’ names: peabody.kids/animals/compare/african-wild-dog-vs-coyote
Where these numbers come from
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Lycaon pictus (African wild dog), checked 10 November 2026.
- National Park Service, Yellowstone, checked 30 October 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 30 October 2026.