🐕 African wild dog vs Wolverine 🐾
The African wild dog is a bit bigger than the wolverine. The African wild dog weighs about one and a half times as much as the wolverine.
Getting the animals ready…
| Row | 🐕 African wild dog | 🐾 Wolverine |
|---|---|---|
| Size The African wild dog is a bit bigger than the wolverine. | 3.4 to 4.9 ft1.1 to 1.5 m1 | 31 in to 4.3 ft78 cm to 1.3 m2 |
| Top speed We don't have a checked number for the wolverine yet. | 34 mph55 km/h1 | no checked number yet |
| Weight The African wild dog weighs about one and a half times as much as the wolverine. | 40 to 79 lb18 to 36 kg1 | 20 to 66 lb9 to 30 kg2 |
| Lives The African wild dog usually lives about twice as long as the wolverine. | 10 to 11 years10 to 11 years1 | 5 to 7 years5 to 7 years2 |
| Eats The African wild dog eats meat; the wolverine eats plants and animals. | mammals such as impala, and sick or hurt wildebeest and zebra | anything from small eggs to big hoofed animals |
| Lives in They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. | grassland, savanna and open woodland in southern Africa | cold mountain forests, tundra and open grassland in the far north |
Which one? African wild dog or wolverine
🏁 Who would win the race?
We don't have a checked top speed for the wolverine 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 Wolverine
- The African wild dog: A long-legged, patchy-coated wild dog of the African savanna.
- The wolverine: A tough, shaggy mountain animal that lives in cold northern places.
- They are the same kind of animal: both are mammals.
- The African wild dog is a bit bigger than the wolverine: 1 against 2.
- The African wild dog weighs about one and a half times as much as the wolverine. That is 1 for the African wild dog and 2 for the wolverine.
- The African wild dog usually lives about twice as long as the wolverine. Usual lifespans: 1 for the African wild dog and 2 for the wolverine.
- The African wild dog eats mammals such as impala, and sick or hurt wildebeest and zebra. The wolverine eats anything from small eggs to big hoofed animals.
- The African wild dog lives in grassland, savanna and open woodland in southern Africa. The wolverine lives in cold mountain forests, tundra and open grassland in the far north. 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 wolverine: 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.
🐾 Wolverine
- A wolverine belongs to the weasel family.
- Its food runs from small eggs to big hoofed animals.
- It lives in cold forests and open tundra in the far north.
Questions kids ask about African wild dog and Wolverine
Which is bigger, African wild dog or wolverine?
The African wild dog is a bit bigger than the wolverine: 1 against 2.
Which is heavier, African wild dog or wolverine?
The African wild dog weighs about one and a half times as much as the wolverine. That is 1 for the African wild dog and 2 for the wolverine.
Which lives longer, African wild dog or wolverine?
The African wild dog usually lives about twice as long as the wolverine. Usual lifespans: 1 for the African wild dog and 2 for the wolverine.
What do African wild dog and wolverine eat?
The African wild dog eats mammals such as impala, and sick or hurt wildebeest and zebra. The wolverine eats anything from small eggs to big hoofed animals.
Where do African wild dog and wolverine live?
The African wild dog lives in grassland, savanna and open woodland in southern Africa. The wolverine lives in cold mountain forests, tundra and open grassland in the far north. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
Who would win, African wild dog or wolverine?
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-wolverine
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: Gulo gulo (wolverine), checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.