A LITTLE WILDLIFE PERSPECTIVE
How tall is a gray wolf?
Compare your height to a gray wolf.
A gray wolf stands about 60–90 cm (2–3 ft) at the shoulder. Its head and ears rise above its back.
A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE
Gray wolf
next to the average.
Average U.S. adults, side by side.
- Average man (U.S.)5 ft 8.9 in
- Gray wolf3 ft 7.3 in
- Average woman (U.S.)5 ft 3.5 in
How do you measure up?
Enter your height to stand beside a gray wolf.
Side by side
- Gray wolf3 ft 7.3 in
- Your placeAdd your height
The animal is an example adult in the pose shown. Its full outline is scaled to 110 cm. Shoulder height and body length are explained below.
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GET TO KNOW THE ANIMAL
Small facts. Big discoveries.
Gray wolf · Canis lupus
A gray wolf has a long muzzle, a bushy tail, and a thick coat. Its shape looks familiar because wolves and domestic dogs are close relatives.
Howling helps wolves locate pack members and signal the boundaries of their territory to neighboring packs. A pack may work together to hunt large hoofed animals, while an individual wolf can catch smaller prey such as rabbits or beavers on its own.
- Dense underfur helps insulate a wolf in cold conditions.
- Despite the name, gray wolves can have several different coat colors.
How big do adults get?
- Male
- About 30–80 kg
- Female
- About 23–55 kg
Body size differs with region and population. These are broad adult weight ranges, not target weights for domestic dogs.
Height, length, or weight?
Standing height runs from the ground to the top of the animal. Shoulder height stops at the top of the shoulders. Length runs along the body; it is not how tall an animal stands. Weight tells us how heavy it is.
Explore the science: Animal Diversity Web · University of Michigan ↗