Wolf vs Husky: Difference and Comparison

Wolf and husky, even though the two animals are quite similar in their appearance, they are very different species.

Even after the two animals are separate, they share 98.8% of similar mitochondrial DNA. They can be differentiated from each other on a few very minute characteristics.

Key Takeaways

1. Wolf and Husky are both members of the Canidae family but are distinct species.
2. Wolf is a wild animal and cannot be kept as a pet, while a Husky is a domesticated dog.
3. Husky is bred for companionship and has a friendly temperament, while the wolf is a wild animal and can be dangerous.

Wolf vs. Husky

A wolf is a wild animal that is the largest canine family member known for its hunting and tracking abilities. They are carnivorous and primarily eat meat, and are known for their howling. Huskies are known for their high energy, endurance, and intelligence and are adapted to cold temperatures.

Wolf is the largest canine animal. They can be up to a height of 26-32 inches in length. Wolf has grey or white fur.

They have long legs that allow them to run much longer distances. They have larger paws facilitating them to walk over any land, be it boiling or icy cold.

Huskies are sled dogs. They are 20-23.5 inches long. They have bright blue eyes. They can be different shades of color. It is also predicted that huskies have evolved into domestic canines over time.

Comparison Table

Parameter of Comparison	Wolf	Husky
Height	26-32 inches	20-23.5 inches
Weight	50- 121 lbs(F), 50-176 lbs(M)	35-50 lbs(F), 45-60 lbs(M)
Lifespan	6-8 years	12-14 years
Found	North America, Europe, Asia	Worldwide
Eye Color	Amber or brown	Blue majorly
Nature	They are wild	They are domestic

What is Wolf?

Wolf is also known as a gray wolf or grey wolf, a large canine native to Eurasia and North America.

There are more than 30 subspecies of wolves that have been recognized. They are non-domestic animals.

Wolf is the largest member of the Canidae, where the average male weighs around 40kg and the female around 37kg. They measure up to a height of 150-160 cm in length and 80-85 cm at shoulder length.

They are distinguished from the other canine species as they have less pointed ears and muzzles, a shorter torso, and a longer tail.

The banded fur of the wolf is commonly white, brown, grey, and black. The wolves are specialized for cooperative games and hunting as they have great qualities to catch large prey.

They move in small packs, consisting of matted pairs accompanied by their offspring. However, the offspring might leave and form their pack at the onset of maturity.

Wolves have their territories and fight amongst each other over them; it is their principal clause and wolf mortality.

Wolves have a history of interactions with humans, mostly hunted in pastoral communities because of the wolf’s attack on their livestock.

Wolves are feared in most communities due to their attack on people, although wolf attacks are relatively low as they tend to stay away from human gatherings and have developed a fear of humans.

What is Husky?

Husky is a sled dog; they are majorly used in the polar regions. Along with that, huskies are also kept as a pet.

The term “husky” has been originated from the word referred to by Arctic people, “Eskimo,” a contraction of “Eskimo” pronounced by the English people.

It is estimated that huskies originated from Siberia and were developed by the Chukchi people of northeastern Asia thousands of years ago; they used the dog for sledding to assist them while hunting.

Huskies are energetic and athletic. They have grey, black, copper-red, and white color fur on them.

Huskies have thick double coat fur to protect the dogs from harsh winters, whereas, on the contrary, it is also believed that these dogs survive in hotter climates.

During the hotter seasons, the huskies tend to shed their undercoat to cool their bodies.

Along with shedding fur, huskies also keep control of their eating habits based on seasons. In cooler climates, they eat more for their body to generate more heat; in warmer climates, they eat less.

Huskies mostly have pale blue eyes but might also be brown, green, yellow, or heterochromia.

Main Differences Between Wolf and Husky

1. Wolf and huskies both animals are both quite tall in their length. Although wolves are slightly taller, they are around 26-32 inches. And huskies are around 20-23.5 inches.
2. Wolves are much heavier in weight. The average weight of female wolves is 50-121l lbs and 50-176 lbs in the case of males. However, in the case of huskies, they are much lighter. The average female weighs around 35-50 lbs, and males around 45-60 lbs.
3. The lifespan of a wolf is around 6-8 years, whereas, for a husky, it is about 12-14 years.
4. Wolves are found in North America, Europe, and Asia, whereas huskies are found worldwide. There is no specification, although it is said that they survive best in colder regions.
5. Wolves have amber or brown color eyes, whereas huskies have majorly blue color eyes. But they might also be brown, green, yellow, or heterochromia at certain times.
6. Wolves are wild animals, are they are feared in most communities as they attack humans and livestock. On the other hand, Huskies are known for their friendly behavior and are kept in the household as domesticated pets.

References

1. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/01.str.32.7.1635
2. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=HY-GDAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=wolf&ots=4t3mr7qzKC&sig=qzmRL7Fi9Qqv06r_-pN7HQLwffI
3. https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.14778/2876473.2876477
4. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/01652176.1986.9694059