Coyotes & American Red Wolves: Differences at a Glance
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
By Mica Sage Roberts, Communications Intern
Invariably, when we post a picture of an American Red Wolf living here at Wolf Haven, we often get questions and comments along the lines of, “isn’t that a coyote?”
Though there are key differences between them, small American Red Wolves and large coyotes can look similar at first glance. It doesn’t help that in times of duress, they’ve even been known to crossbreed. In fact, in the early days of the Red Wolf Recovery Program, there was no genetic testing available, so biologists had to determine wolf-coyote hybrids from pure American Red Wolves based on appearances alone. In the end, conservationists and biologists were left with 14 pure American Red Wolves from which to start the recovery program.
So, what makes an American Red Wolf different from a coyote? How can you tell if you don’t have a portable genetic testing kit on hand? Here are some differences between them that are easy to spot at a distance:
Size
While the American Red Wolf is not as large as its western counterpart, the gray wolf, they still stand a few inches taller at the shoulder than the average coyote. Typically weighing 45-80 pounds as an adult, American Red Wolves are taller and leaner than coyotes, who come in at a modest 20-35 pounds. This is approximately the size difference between a golden retriever and a wheaten terrier. And if it’s tracks that you’re trying to distinguish, a coyote paw measures about two-and-a-half inches in diameter, while an American Red Wolf paw is approximately an inch larger.
Color
True to their name, American Red Wolves sport a rusty buff or brown coloring in their fur, especially on their heads and legs. They also typically have a black “saddle” pattern on their backs and black markings on their forelegs. Coyotes, on the other hand, are generally all-over gray or tawny, with muted reddish underhues spread throughout the body. Look at the face and throat: if the animal has splashes of white or light-colored fur in these areas, it’s an American Red Wolf. Coyotes don't have distinctive markings or patterns in their fur.
Face & Ear Shape
Coyotes have a distinctive narrowness to their face, starting with their triangle-shaped ears and ending in a very sharp pointed nose. If the mug you’re looking at is sharp enough to cut glass, it’s a coyote. Comparatively, American Red Wolves have a broader, heavier face and ears that are rounded at the tips. It’s in their face that they look most like their gray wolf cousins.
Collars
Due to their fragile re-establishment and ongoing recovery program, American Red Wolves in the wild are typically fitted with bright orange tracking collars to aid biologists (and hunters) in making a quick distinction. Inside the North Carolina recovery area, sterilized coyotes are often fitted with a black or white collar. Outside of the recovery area, most coyotes are not fitted with collars because there is no concern about their population.
Author's Note
Observant readers may have noticed the capitalization of American Red Wolf, while the same capitalization is not extended to the term “gray wolf.” The Red Wolf holds high cultural significance to people of the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee name for Red Wolf is “Waya”, and it is out of respect for the Cherokee people that Red Wolf has been capitalized in formal policy and scientific writing, as decided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). For more information about the cultural significance of American Red Wolves to the Cherokee people, please consider viewing the documentary film Waya, Saving Our Red Grandfather.
Wolf Haven International is proud to be a part of the Saving Animal From Extinction (SAFE) Program for the American Red Wolf, which is a federally-managed cooperative effort between USFWS, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and conservation organizations. We participate in two separate SAFE programs, designed to ensure the continued health and survival of the American Red Wolf and the Mexican wolf. To learn more, visit wolfhaven.org/conservation/safe