π Cheetah vs Gray wolf πΊ
The cheetah and the gray wolf are about the same size. The cheetah is about twice as fast as the gray wolf. They are about the same.
| Row | π Cheetah | πΊ Gray wolf |
|---|---|---|
| Top speed The cheetah is about twice as fast as the gray wolf. | 60 to 70 mph96 to 112 km/h1 | 35 mph56 km/h2 |
| Weight They are about the same. | 75 to 141 lb34 to 64 kg1 | 90 to 110 lb41 to 50 kg2 |
| Lives The cheetah usually lives about twice as long as the gray wolf. | 8 to 10 years8 to 10 years1 | 4 to 5 years4 to 5 years2 |
| Eats Both eat meat. | antelopes such as gazelles and impalas, and hares | deer, elk, moose and smaller animals like beavers |
| Lives in They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. | the grasslands of eastern and southern Africa, and a few in Iran | forests, mountains and tundra of North America, Europe and Asia |
Which one? Cheetah or gray wolf
π Who would win the race?
The cheetah gets to the tree first. Over a short dash it is about twice as fast as the gray wolf. But a cheetah can only keep up its top speed for a short dash.
We only race. Real animals mostly avoid each other. A race is the only fair contest: who reaches the tree first, by top speed.
Compare two more
Getting the animals readyβ¦
π€ Share this pair
The link carries only the two animalsβ names: peabody.kids/animals/compare/cheetah-vs-gray-wolf
Where these numbers come from
- Smithsonian's National Zoo, Cheetah, checked 30 October 2026.
- National Park Service, Yellowstone (wolf facts), checked 30 October 2026.