What is the difference between Wolf and Jackal?
Wolf and jackal both belong to the family Canidae. They are both found all over the world except Antarctica.
Wolf and jackal look alike and are mostly confused by people. They belong to the same genus but different species. They are the most common wild dogs.
The main difference between wolf and jackal is that wolf is larger in body size while jackal is comparatively smaller in body size.
Comparison Table (Wolf vs Jackal)
| Characteristics | Wolf | Jackal |
| Classification | There are two species of a wolf; the gray and white wolf. | There are three species of a jackal; golden jackal, black-backed jackal, and side-striped jackal. |
| Size | They are larger in body size. | They are comparatively smaller in body size. |
| Height | They stand at 60 to 90 cm on the shoulders. | They measure around 15 to 20 inches in height. |
| Weight | They weigh around 30 to 170 pounds. | They weigh around 15 to 35 pounds. |
| What they feed on | They are carnivores as they feed on small animals like rabbits. | They are omnivores; they can feed on plants and small animals. |
| Gestation period | The period lasts between 63 to 75 days. | The period lasts between 60 to 70 days. |
| Litter | The litter comprises 4 to 7 pups at a time. | The litter comprises 2 to 4 pups at a time. |
| Activity | They hunt any time of the day. | They are crepuscular; They are active during dawn and dusk. |
| Social | They hunt and feed in packs. | They are lone hunters. |
| Lifespan | They can live between 8 to 10 years. | They can live between 8 to 9 years. |
What is a Wolf?
Wolf is an animal in the Canidae family. It is found all over the world apart from Antarctica. It is the largest member of the Canidae family. It is mostly found in North America, Eurasia, and North Africa.
There are two species of wolves; the gray wolf and the white wolf. Both contain similar characteristics with a few differences. The grey wolf has 38 subspecies.
They have a large head, long legs, narrow chest, and hips. Their front feet have five toes while their back feet have four toes on each.
They are carnivores. They entirely depend on meat for survival. They hunt on small animals like rabbits, deer, goats, sheep, and turkey.
The females are able to give birth once per year. Their gestation period is between 63 to 75 days. It gives birth to between 4 to 7 pups at a time.
They live in packs and hunt in packs. The packs are a nuclear family and they may vary in number and membership depending on factors such as habitat.
What is a Jackal?
Jackal is an animal in the family Canidae. It is a medium-sized animal. They are found all over the world and survive in a wide range of habitats. They can survive in deserts, grasslands, savannahs, mountains, and woodlands.
There are three species of jackals. These are; golden jackal, black-backed jackal, and side-striped jackal. The golden jackal is the heaviest among the three.
Their fur can be golden, rust, or silver-colored, black with bushy tails. They are adapted to hunting small animals. They either feed on plant matter or meat. They can also feed on dead animals and leftovers of other animals.
Their social life is of monogamous pair. They are lone animals. They assemble occasionally when they scavenge a carcass or are battling for food.
They mate with only one partner for their entire life. Their gestation period lasts between 60 to 70 days. They give birth to between 2 to 4 pups at a time.
Main Differences between Wolf and Jackal
- Wolf is large in body size while jackal is comparatively smaller in body size.
- Wolf is basically carnivores while jackal is omnivores.
- Wolf is active throughout while jackals are active at dusk and at dawn.
- Wolf hunt and feed in packs while jackal is a lone hunter.
- Wolf gives birth to between 4 to 7 pups while jackal gives birth to between 2 to 4 pups at a time.
- There are two species of wolves while there are three species of jackal.
Similarities between Wolf and Jackal
- They both belong to the same family.
- They both reproduce in the same way.
- They are both wild animals.
In Conclusion
Wolf and jackal belong to the same family and genus but they belong to different species. Wolf is the largest wild dog in the family Canidae.
The two share some characteristics but they are different from each other both in appearance and behavior.
Wolves hunt any time while jackals hunt at dawn or at dusk. Wolves are comparatively larger in body size while jackals are comparatively smaller in body size.
The main feature that makes wolves different from jackals is the size of their bodies.
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