Lions and wolves are two of the most dangerous cats and dogs today. Lions live in sub-Saharan Africa, but wolves prefer the colder climates of North America, Europe, Asia and some parts of northern Africa. Even though these species don’t interact, who can’t help but wonder how a lion vs. wolf battle would fare? They are both pack predators and their hunting methods are very efficient.
We’ll take a closer look at the most important ways in which lions and wolves compare to each other in terms of size and fighting ability. Then, we’ll reveal which animal is most likely to survive a fight with another animal!
Comparing Lions and Wolves
lion | Wolf | |
size | Weight: 264 lbs – 550 lbs Length: 4.7ft – 8.2ft Height: 36in-48in | Weight: 80-150 lbs Length: 3.4ft – 5ft Height: 26″ – 36″ |
speed and movement type | -35 mph (can briefly hit 50mph) – Dash enemies | – 35 mph briefly – Use gallop to sprint |
Bite Force and Teeth | – 650-1000 PSI bite force -30 teeth, including up to four 4-inch canines | 400 PSI bite force, maybe more in the wild. – 42 sharp teeth – 2 inch long canine teeth |
the senses | – Amazing déjà vu, especially night vision – Good sense of smell to be able to smell the markings of other lions – Good hearing allows them to hear prey from miles away. | – strong sense of smell – Keen forward vision – Facing eyes like many carnivores. – Wolves can hear creatures from miles away. |
defense | – Take pride in digital security – large size – Can run away from enemies quickly | – Quantity security – Escape dangerous speed |
offensive ability | – Sharp claws can tear enemies apart – Claw strikes deliver powerful and surprising blows – A powerful bite can tear bones and tear open prey. | – 2-inch teeth with a strong bite – Sharp claws cause slashing attacks – Limited ability to climb |
predatory behavior | – Mainly stalking and jumping on opponents – Can act as a stamina predator – Use groups to take down prey | – Stamina Predator chases and wears out enemies with consistent speed and nerfed attacks |
Key Factors in a Lion vs. Wolf Fight
A battle between lions and wolves will not be determined by any one single factor. Instead, determining the winner of the contest requires a comprehensive consideration of everything from the size of the creatures to how they hunt other animals. We’ve put together seven very important considerations that tell us with certainty which of these mammals will win the fight.
Physical Characteristics of Lions and Wolves
Most of the time, the law of the wild is that the bigger, stronger creature wins the fight. Only exceptionally smart, effective predators can beat their weight and take down larger opponents. Take a look at the physical characteristics of lions and wolves to see which side has the upper hand in various situations.
Lion vs. Wolf: Dimensions
Lions are very large mammals standing nearly 4 feet tall, 8 feet long and weighing over 500 pounds. They have the ability to destroy creatures larger than themselves. However, the largest wolves average only around 150 pounds. They are 5 feet long and about 3 feet tall. The largest wolf ever recorded weighed 175 pounds. That pales in comparison to the 827 lbs of the largest lion ever recorded!
Lions have an obvious size advantage.
Lion vs. Wolf: Speed and Movement
Lions can sprint at prey at an average speed of 35 miles per hour, a speed that wolves can match. In some cases, though, lions can reach speeds of up to 50 mph. However, wolves are marathon runners; they can run at high speed for longer periods of time than lions. They will tirelessly drain the physical strength of their prey before attacking.
Lions have an advantage in speed and movement.
Lion vs. Wolf: Bite Force and Teeth
Lions have 30 teeth, including 4-inch canines, which can release 650PSI to 1000PSI of bite force when hunting prey. The wolf has 42 sharp teeth and 2 inch long canines with a bite force of 400PSI. However, the measure is flawed and doesn’t take into account the unique way wolves bite in combat. In the wild, wolves may actually have a stronger bite force.
As far as we know, the lion had a stronger bite and more deadly teeth, so it had the upper hand.
Lion vs Wolf: Senses
Both wolves and lions are predators that use a variety of powerful senses to find their prey. Lions have amazing eyesight, especially in low light. They have a good sense of smell and can pick out the markings of other animals, and they can hear their prey from miles away.
Wolves also have a powerful sense of smell, which they use to track prey. Their hearing is even better, capable of sensing creatures up to a mile away. Their vision is highly adapted to movement, but not as acute as that of lions.
All in all, these two probably have roughly the same senses, so they tie.
Lions and Wolves: Physical Defense
The key to a strong offense is good defense. Both lions and wolves find safety in numbers and can use their speed to flee any danger they encounter. While each of them can use their size to scare away prey, only lions can use their size to demoralize their enemies, making it difficult for a pack of hyenas to kill a single lion.
Lions have an advantage in physical defense.
Fighting skills of lion and wolf
Physical characteristics of animals can help determine which animal has the advantage in a fight, but fighting skills also play an important role. See how lions and wolves inflict damage and kill their prey. This will give us a better idea of how the fight will play out.
The Lion and the Wolf: Offensive Capabilities
As far as fighting goes, lions are made for bears. They have sharp claws that can tear apart their prey, and they also have the power to slap their enemies with their powerful claws, leaving them wobbly. Of course, what scares prey the most is their bite. Their long teeth and powerful bite are powerful enough to kill larger creatures, such as wildebeests.
Wolves are also good at fighting, killing their enemies with their long canines, powerful bite and sharp claws. They can even chase some creatures up the trees.
In many ways, these two creatures are the same offensively, so we’re giving them a tie in this category.
Lions and wolves: Predation
Lions are an apex predator and can hunt in two ways. The big cat can be an opportunistic predator that recognizes tasty food and enters and kills it, or it can be an efficient ambush predator. They can lie in wait for stragglers among the herds and finish them off just as easily as they charge at the creatures at the local water source.
Wolves are durable predators who will chase, harass, and injure an enemy until it is too tired to continue. They can drain a creature’s energy until it has no power to fight back.
The lion has a more varied predator behavior, so it has the upper hand.
What is the main difference between a lion and a wolf?
Wolves are canine carnivores weighing up to 150 pounds and reaching lengths of 5 feet, while lions are felines weighing 550 pounds and reaching lengths of over 8 feet. They are both carnivores, but the lion prefers to ambush its prey while the wolf prefers to destroy its enemies. Wolves live in North America, Asia, Europe, and small parts of Africa, while lions live in sub-Saharan Africa.
These key differences between the two creatures, along with other factors throughout the comparison, can help determine which creature wins a fight.
Who would win a fight between a lion and a wolf?
The lion will win the battle with the wolf. Although both lions and wolves are carnivores and have powerful fighting abilities, lions are far larger and stronger than wolves.
The battle begins as soon as the lion and wolf sense each other, and they’re quick to figure out what they smell and hear. A lion may not lay an ambush for a wolf; it will be a direct fight.
The wolf will try its normal routine of dragging the lion down, jumping in for a bite or chop, then backing off and continuing to move. The lion was patient enough to wait out the testing period, but it ended up with its claws or teeth on the much smaller animal. After all, it takes a lot of practice for a lion to kill a small canine like a hyena.
Like the hyena, it only takes a single misstep for the lion to pounce on the wolf, grab the wolf in its claws, bite its throat and head, and deliver the coup de grace, leaving the feline the survivor of the fight.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.