🐾 Spotted hyena vs Wolverine 🐾
The spotted hyena is about one and a half times as long as the wolverine. The spotted hyena weighs about 3 times as much as the wolverine.
Getting the animals ready…
| Row | 🐾 Spotted hyena | 🐾 Wolverine |
|---|---|---|
| Size The spotted hyena is about one and a half times as long as the wolverine. | 4.1 to 6.1 ft1.3 to 1.9 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. | 37 mph60 km/h1 | no checked number yet |
| Weight The spotted hyena weighs about 3 times as much as the wolverine. | 99 to 154 lb45 to 70 kg1 | 20 to 66 lb9 to 30 kg2 |
| Lives The spotted hyena usually lives about 3 times as long as the wolverine. | 20 years20 years1 | 5 to 7 years5 to 7 years2 |
| Eats The spotted hyena eats meat; the wolverine eats plants and animals. | land animals that have a backbone | anything from small eggs to big hoofed animals |
| Lives in They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. | open, dry places across Africa south of the Sahara, from semi-desert to savanna and mountain forest | cold mountain forests, tundra and open grassland in the far north |
Which one? Spotted hyena 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 Spotted hyena vs Wolverine
- The spotted hyena: A strong African animal with a spotted coat and a sloping back.
- The wolverine: A tough, shaggy mountain animal that lives in cold northern places.
- They are the same kind of animal: both are mammals.
- The spotted hyena is about one and a half times as long as the wolverine: 1 against 2.
- The spotted hyena weighs about 3 times as much as the wolverine. That is 1 for the spotted hyena and 2 for the wolverine.
- The spotted hyena usually lives about 3 times as long as the wolverine. Usual lifespans: 1 for the spotted hyena and 2 for the wolverine.
- The spotted hyena eats land animals that have a backbone. The wolverine eats anything from small eggs to big hoofed animals.
- The spotted hyena lives in open, dry places across Africa south of the Sahara, from semi-desert to savanna and mountain forest. 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 spotted hyena: doing fine (Least Concern on the IUCN Red List). 3
- The wolverine: doing fine (Least Concern on the IUCN Red List). 4
Wow facts
🐾 Spotted hyena
- A spotted hyena can run fast over a long way.
- It lives in savanna, semi-desert and mountain forest.
- It also cleans up what other animals leave.
🐾 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 Spotted hyena and Wolverine
Which is bigger, spotted hyena or wolverine?
The spotted hyena is about one and a half times as long as the wolverine: 1 against 2.
Which is heavier, spotted hyena or wolverine?
The spotted hyena weighs about 3 times as much as the wolverine. That is 1 for the spotted hyena and 2 for the wolverine.
Which lives longer, spotted hyena or wolverine?
The spotted hyena usually lives about 3 times as long as the wolverine. Usual lifespans: 1 for the spotted hyena and 2 for the wolverine.
What do spotted hyena and wolverine eat?
The spotted hyena eats land animals that have a backbone. The wolverine eats anything from small eggs to big hoofed animals.
Where do spotted hyena and wolverine live?
The spotted hyena lives in open, dry places across Africa south of the Sahara, from semi-desert to savanna and mountain forest. 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, spotted hyena 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/spotted-hyena-vs-wolverine
Where these numbers come from
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Crocuta crocuta (spotted hyena), 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.