There are so many animals some animals can be kept as a pet but some cannot because of the level of danger or damage they can do to a person. Sheep and Wolf are the two animals that can be easily differentiated by the level of danger they can cause.
Sheep are herbivores, and young sheep are called lambs. Their fur is used for making wools. While Wolfs are carnivores and there is less market value of wolves as compared to sheep.
Sheep are mostly found in hills or mountain regions and are well adapted to extreme climates like the middle east, Asia, etc. While Wolf is usually found in cold regions but they are well adapted to desert regions, grasslands, etc.
Sheep vs Wolf
Sheep are herbivores and can be kept as a pet, whereas wolves are carnivores which means they only eat non-vegetarian foods and cannot be kept as a pet. Sheep are a good source of money. They are kept as a pet or domesticated for farming purposes.
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Sheep are counted as useful animals mostly because of their meat and milk. Sheep came from the family of Bovidae, and their scientific name is Ovis aries. They are non-violent animals and come under the kingdom of Mammalia because they produce milk.
Wolf is the most violent animal. They came from the family of Canidae, the same as the dog’s family.
They are not very resourceful as sheep are. They are mostly used as antiques and slightly used as animal fibre.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Sheep | Wolf |
|---|---|---|
| Body Characteristics | Sheep are very decent-looking animals with a small tail, two horns, and their bodies covered with fur like structure. | Wolf is very violent in nature, having very sharp teeth, long and sharp tail, very sharp and long nails. |
| Family | Sheep belongs to the Bovidae family. | Wolf belongs to the Canidae family. |
| Presence of horns | Some sheep have horns. | Wolf does not have horns. |
| Domestication possibility | They are kept as pets for centuries. | They cannot be domesticated because of their high level of danger and violent nature. |
| Tail size | Tails are usually small in size. | Tails are long and pointed. |
| Prefered food | Sheep are herbivores. They usually eat green grasses. | Wolf are carnivores, and they eat meat or other animals. |
| Weight | Sheep are much heavier than wolves as sheep have their weight around 45-160kg for males and 45-100kg for females. | Wolf is less heavy compared to sheep. Wolf have their weight around 40kg for males and 37kg for females. |
| Scientific nomenclature. | Sheep are scientifically named Ovis aries. | Wolf is called Canis lupus scientifically. |
What is Sheep?
Sheep are very useful for animal husbandry purposes, and they are herbivores. They are also preferred for their meat and milk.
They have four legs, short tail, and their body is covered with thick cotton-like hairs which are used as wool after the shearing process. Sheep production is mostly associated with European countries.
Sheep fall under the Bovidae family in the animal kingdom, and their scientific name is Ovis aries. They look similar to goats, but they have a fur-like appearance in their body which is thick and are slightly bigger in size.
Sheep are mostly used in traditional systems as an animal that is sacrificed for God. Sheep were among the earliest animal to be kept as a pet like dogs. Their lifespan is around 10-12 years.
What is Wolf?
Wolf belongs to the Canidae family and is scientifically named Canis lupus. Wolf is very violent in nature, having very sharp teeth, long and sharp tail, very sharp and long nails. They are the most dangerous hunter and have a special technique for hunting their prey.
Females have a weight of around 37kg, and males weigh around 40kg. They do not have much market value because they have fewer resources. Their snout is much broader than jackals and coyotes.
Their body is covered with thick fur because of their habitat. Wolf are carnivores which means they eat other herbivore animals as their food, for example, deer, sheep, and moose, etc.
Main Differences Between Sheep and Wolf
- Sheep fall under the Bovidae family in the animal kingdom, and their scientific name is Ovis arise. While Wolf belongs to the Canidae family and is scientifically named Canis lupus.
- Sheep lifespan is around 10-12 years approximately, and Wolf’s lifespan is approximately 10-16 years.
- Sheep are herbivores. They usually eat green grasses. And wolfs are carnivores which means they eat other herbivore animals as their food. For example, deer, sheep, and moose, etc.
- Wolf is a dangerous animal having sharp teeth with long nails, and have excellent hunting skills. While sheep are decent animals with non-violent nature having their body covered with thick fur-like structures and they also have horns.
- Sheep weigh around 45-100kg while a wolf weighs only 40kg approximately, which is very less as compared to sheep.
- https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/19751432518
- https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/01.str.32.7.1635
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
