🐕 African wild dog vs Tasmanian devil 🐾
The African wild dog is about twice as long as the tasmanian devil. The African wild dog weighs about 3 times as much as the tasmanian devil.
Getting the animals ready…
| Row | 🐕 African wild dog | 🐾 Tasmanian devil |
|---|---|---|
| Size The African wild dog is about twice as long as the tasmanian devil. | 3.4 to 4.9 ft1.1 to 1.5 m1 | 21 to 31 in53 to 80 cm2 |
| Top speed We don't have a checked number for the tasmanian devil yet. | 34 mph55 km/h1 | no checked number yet |
| Weight The African wild dog weighs about 3 times as much as the tasmanian devil. | 40 to 79 lb18 to 36 kg1 | 9 to 26 lb4.1 to 12 kg2 |
| Lives The African wild dog usually lives about twice as long as the tasmanian devil. | 10 to 11 years10 to 11 years1 | 5 years5 years2 |
| Eats The African wild dog eats meat; the tasmanian devil eats plants and animals. | mammals such as impala, and sick or hurt wildebeest and zebra | mostly food other animals have left, plus insects, snakes and a few plants |
| Lives in They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. | grassland, savanna and open woodland in southern Africa | the island of Tasmania, most often near the coast in scrub and open land |
Which one? African wild dog or tasmanian devil
🏁 Who would win the race?
We don't have a checked top speed for the tasmanian devil 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 Tasmanian devil
- The African wild dog: A long-legged, patchy-coated wild dog of the African savanna.
- The tasmanian devil: A black, sturdy animal that cleans up leftovers on an island of Australia.
- They are the same kind of animal: both are mammals.
- The African wild dog is about twice as long as the tasmanian devil: 1 against 2.
- The African wild dog weighs about 3 times as much as the tasmanian devil. That is 1 for the African wild dog and 2 for the tasmanian devil.
- The African wild dog usually lives about twice as long as the tasmanian devil. Usual lifespans: 1 for the African wild dog and 2 for the tasmanian devil.
- The African wild dog eats mammals such as impala, and sick or hurt wildebeest and zebra. The tasmanian devil eats mostly food other animals have left, plus insects, snakes and a few plants.
- The African wild dog lives in grassland, savanna and open woodland in southern Africa. The tasmanian devil lives in the island of Tasmania, most often near the coast in scrub and open land. 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 tasmanian devil: in danger (Endangered 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.
🐾 Tasmanian devil
- A Tasmanian devil rests in hollow logs, caves and burrows.
- Most of its food is what other animals have left behind.
- It also eats insects and snakes, and a little plant food.
Questions kids ask about African wild dog and Tasmanian devil
Which is bigger, African wild dog or tasmanian devil?
The African wild dog is about twice as long as the tasmanian devil: 1 against 2.
Which is heavier, African wild dog or tasmanian devil?
The African wild dog weighs about 3 times as much as the tasmanian devil. That is 1 for the African wild dog and 2 for the tasmanian devil.
Which lives longer, African wild dog or tasmanian devil?
The African wild dog usually lives about twice as long as the tasmanian devil. Usual lifespans: 1 for the African wild dog and 2 for the tasmanian devil.
What do African wild dog and tasmanian devil eat?
The African wild dog eats mammals such as impala, and sick or hurt wildebeest and zebra. The tasmanian devil eats mostly food other animals have left, plus insects, snakes and a few plants.
Where do African wild dog and tasmanian devil live?
The African wild dog lives in grassland, savanna and open woodland in southern Africa. The tasmanian devil lives in the island of Tasmania, most often near the coast in scrub and open land. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
Who would win, African wild dog or tasmanian devil?
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-tasmanian-devil
Where these numbers come from
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Lycaon pictus (African wild dog), checked 10 November 2026.
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Sarcophilus harrisii (Tasmanian devil), checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.