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Basking Shark

Cetorhinus maximus

Fish · family Cetorhinidae · order Lamniformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G2: imperiled[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Basking Shark
Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G2 Imperiled[2]
Native in
7 states[3]
Longest recorded life
32 years[4]

The Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is a fish in the family Cetorhinidae, part of the order Lamniformes[5]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Endangered[6], and NatureServe lists it as native in 7 US states and territories[3].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Basking Shark a global rank of G2, which means Imperiled[2]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Endangered[6]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data[1]. That only means it has no federal listing. NatureServe also gives it a rank in each of the 7 states where it is native, shown in the table on this page[7].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G2 (Imperiled)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[6] Endangered

Where Basking Shark lives

NatureServe lists the Basking Shark as native in Delaware, Florida, Maine, Mississippi, New York, South Carolina and Texas[3]. On GBIF, the US states with the most observation records are California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Maine and Florida[8]. These counts follow where people look and report, not how many sharks live there[8].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: native, state rank SNRMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: native, state rank SNRNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: native, state rank SNRDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S3SCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: native, state rank SNRMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank SNRTXFlorida: native, state rank S1FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[7].
Show state ranks (7 states)
StateRankMeaning
DelawareSNRNot Ranked
FloridaS1Critically Imperiled
MaineSNRNot Ranked
MississippiSNRNot Ranked
New YorkSNRNot Ranked
South CarolinaS3Vulnerable
TexasSNRNot Ranked

Lifespan

The longest recorded lifespan for a Basking Shark in the wild is 32 years[4]. This is a record, not a typical age[4]. In AnAge data, females reach the age when they can breed at 4,197 days[9].

Trait Value
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 32 years (wild)
Female maturity[9] 4,197 days (about 11.5 years)

When to look for it

In the United States, most GBIF observation records of the Basking Shark fall in May, June and July[10]. Records are much fewer in the winter months[10]. These numbers show when people look and report, not how many sharks are around[10].

January: 20 recordsJanFebruary: 103 recordsFebMarch: 58 recordsMarApril: 525 recordsAprMay: 1,637 recordsMayJune: 2,886 recordsJunJuly: 1,314 recordsJulAugust: 674 recordsAugSeptember: 284 recordsSepOctober: 250 recordsOctNovember: 75 recordsNovDecember: 18 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[10].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January20
February103
March58
April525
May1,637
June2,886
July1,314
August674
September284
October250
November75
December18

Where to see it

This species is protected or at risk, so we show its range only at the state level. We do not publish parks, nesting, spawning or wintering sites.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Maine, Florida[8]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the basking shark endangered?
The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Endangered[6], and NatureServe ranks it G2, Imperiled[2]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data[1].
Where do basking sharks live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in Delaware, Florida, Maine, Mississippi, New York, South Carolina and Texas[3]. The states with the most GBIF records are California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Maine and Florida[8].
How long do basking sharks live?
The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 32 years[4]. Females reach breeding age at 4,197 days[9].
When are basking sharks seen in the US?
Most GBIF records in the United States fall in May, June and July[10]. This reflects when people look and report[10].

Facts and sources

  1. Basking Shark is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Basking Shark: G2 (Imperiled). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Basking Shark as native in 7 US states and territories: Delaware, Florida, Maine, Mississippi, New York, South Carolina, Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 32 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is a fish in the family Cetorhinidae, order Lamniformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Endangered. NatureServe Explorer
  7. NatureServe state ranks for Basking Shark (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  8. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Basking Shark: California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Maine, Florida. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  9. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 4,197 days (about 11.5 years). AnAge
  10. GBIF observation records of Basking Shark in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.