The main difference between wolves and bears is their size and social behavior. In a fight, a large grizzly bear would most likely lose to an entire pack of wolves. However, a single wolf wouldn’t be able to take down a bear on its own.
Bears are large animals, much larger than wolves. Hence, wolves stand no chance against this large predator on their own.
Wolves are very social animals though, living and hunting in packs. Hence, they can use their pack structure, and pack mentality, to defeat a large bear.
Even though bears and wolves come from two very different families, there are some behavioral similarities.
In this article, we’ll discuss more the differences, similarities, and much more.
Trait | Wolf | Bear |
Height | 31-35” (80-85 cm) | 40” (102 cm) |
Weight | 65-175 lbs (30-80 kg) | 290–790 lbs (130 to 360 kg) |
Lifespan | 10-14 years | 20-25 years |
Distribution | United States, Canada, Eurasia, Africa | United States, Canada, Eurasia, Arctic |
Diet | Carnivore | Omnivores |
Wolf Pack vs. Bear
When it comes to strength, bears come out on top. However, wolves have strength in numbers. A wolf pack can take down a bear, but a single wolf can’t handle a single bear.
Wolves hunt in packs, and they take advantage of their pack mentality to hunt down prey much larger than themselves. This is their competitive edge in the wilderness.
When it comes to a head-on comparison, bears are much heavier and generally larger, than wolves.
Bears have even been seen fighting off smaller wolf packs. Hence, the answer to the question: “Wolf Pack vs. Bear – who would win”, can be answered by, “It depends”.
If it’s a smaller wolf pack, a bear may have a chance. A larger wolf pack would definitely be successful unless they’re weak and starving. There are many factors to take into account.
One study of interactions between wolves and bears shows that wolves may even be intimidated by a bear. One interaction shows how 6 wolves backed away from a meal because a mother bear and her cubs approached.
Wolf vs. Grizzly Bear
A single wolf versus a single grizzly bear would never end well for the wolf. Bears are much larger, and they’re much more dangerous on their own. A grizzly bear can weigh 4 to 5 times that of a wolf.
Even though wolves are ferocious predators, that are great at hunting, bears are so much larger, that a single wolf wouldn’t be able to do much damage.
Bear vs. Wolf Differences
Bears and wolves come from two completely different families. They look very different, and they behave differently (mostly).
Wolves and bears are both members of the order Carnivora [1]. However, wolves belong to the family Canidae while bears belong to the family Ursidae.
Classification | Gray Wolf | Grizzly Bear |
Kingdom: | Animalia | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora | Carnivora |
Family: | Canidae | Ursidae |
Genus: | Canis | Ursus |
Species: | C. lupus | U. arctos |
Physical Differences
Bears typically feature shorter snouts, stocky bodies, larger paws, and long claws. They are also much bigger than wolves with an average weight of 290 to 790 pounds versus around 80-160 pounds for the largest wolves.
They are also taller than wolves, but only by a few inches.
Where wolves have long tails, bears have very short tails. Both have large fur coats, used to keep them warm during the colder months. Where wolves are often known for their grey color, bears are often depicted as brown.

Family: Ursidae vs. Canidae
Wolves belong to the family Canidae, while bears belong to Ursidae. Both belong to the order Carnivora.
In the Canidae family, we find animals such as:
- Dogs
- Coyotes
- Jackals
- Foxes
Social Behavior
Bears are solitary animals, wolves live in packs. Bears can however live in family groups. They do this around breeding season. When the cubs are old enough, they’ll head out on their own.
Wolves are pack animals and rely on their pack for survival. They work together to bring down prey much larger than themselves.

Carnivores vs. Omnivores
One of the key differences between wolves and bears is their diet. Wolves are carnivores, while bears are omnivores. This means that wolves primarily eat meat, while bears will eat both meat and plants. [2]
Both animals do eat meat though. In the spring, bears feed on ungulates, wolves’ favorite food. During the Summer, bears will feed more on flowers, fruits, and vegetables, as well as ungulates. This continues through the fall.
Bears also eat what’s left on the carcass of already killed animals, often left by wolves. [3]

Wolf vs. Wolf Similarities
Habitats & Distribution
The two animals inhabit both different and the same area.
Bears are typically found in North America, Asia, South America, Africa, and Europe (a small population of polar bears resides within the Arctic Circle).
Wolves can be found all over the world except for Australia and Antarctica.

Predatory Hunters
Wolves and bears are both predatory hunters, but they have different hunting strategies. Bears rely on their strength, while wolves rely on their pack, speed, and stamina.
Bears are solitary predators that ambush their prey from behind or wait for them at a kill site. They use their size and strength to overpower their prey.
Wolves are pack animals that hunt cooperatively in order to bring down large prey. They use speed, agility, and endurance to catch their prey, often chasing their prey for miles at a time to tire them out.

Do Bears and Wolves Get Along?
Wolves and bears typically don’t get along. While they may not kill each other on sight, they do consider each other enemies, or competitors, as they hunt for the same prey and live in the same territories.
At times, wolves have been known to prey on bear cubs. By doing so, they may anger the mother bear (if she’s around), triggering her to attack.
Most of the time, bears and wolves won’t kill each other. Bear cubs may be victims of harassment, but wolves do know not to anger bears. Their interactions may even be playful. [4]
Related: Are wolves and bears enemies?
Do Bears Prey on Wolves?
No, bears don’t prey on wolves. The main part of a bear’s diet consists of plants, vegetables, or fish, but they will also supplement their diet with meat. The only times bears prey on wolves, is if there’s no other food around.
There are a few instances where bears have hunted down and eaten wolves. These instances are rare and far apart, but they do happen. [5]
There is a lot of information about wolves preying on bears in the wild, but there are very few cases documented of bears preying on wolves. This could be because wolves usually travel in packs, so they are more likely to win in a fight with wolves than bears.
Related: What eats a wolf?

Do Wolves Hunt Bears?
Typically, wolves won’t hunt bears. They’re aware of bears’ strength, and won’t engage unless they’re threatened, attacked, or if they feel that they’re in danger.
As with bears preying on wolves, wolves typically won’t prey on bears unless they’re starving, and it’s the only food around. When wolves do hunt bears, they’ll target the cubs.
Bear cubs are much weaker than a full-grown bear, and will hence be easier to take down.
Related: What eats bears?
Do Wolves and Bears Ever Meet?
Wolves and bears have certainly met in the wild, but it’s not as common an occurrence as most people think. [3]
Wolves are usually found in packs near forested areas, as they tend to follow the population of ungulates. Bears prefer to live near bodies of water so they can fish for food.
However, there are instances where the two cross paths. This most often happens when one of the two is traveling, or if bears get the scent of an animal that’s been killed. They will go to it for an easy meal.
What Would Happen if They Fought?
It’s difficult to say who would win in a fight between wolves and bears, as it depends on the circumstances.
A pack of wolves is typically more powerful than a single bear, but a lone wolf wouldn’t stand a chance against an adult grizzly.
Bears are also incredibly strong, but wolves have the advantage of being more agile and quick. However, a bear’s claws are usually longer than wolves have teeth so they can use their limbs to inflict damage on them too.
Conclusion
In conclusion, wolves, and bears are very different animals that have been pitted against each other for a while. While wolves can take on a bear in a pack situation, wolves don’t stand a chance alone. There are even instances of bears taking on wolf packs.
The two animals are very different. Bears are much larger, but they also live in solitude or accompanied by their cubs. Wolves live in packs, usually consisting of 6 to 8 members.