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Blue Whale

Balaenoptera musculus

Mammal · family Balaenopteridae · order Cetacea

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

NatureServe global rank G3: vulnerable[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Blue Whale
Photo: NOAA Photo Library, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Endangered[1]
NatureServe global rank
G3 Vulnerable[2]
Native in
12 states[3]
Longest recorded life
110 years[4]

The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a mammal in the rorqual family Balaenopteridae, part of the whale and dolphin order Cetacea[5]. It is listed as Endangered under the US Endangered Species Act[1] and NatureServe lists it as native in 12 US states and territories, from Alaska and Hawaii to the Atlantic coast[3].

Conservation status

Under the US Endangered Species Act, the blue whale has been listed as Endangered since June 2, 1970[1]. Worldwide, NatureServe ranks it G3, which means Vulnerable[2], and within the United States it ranks it N1, meaning Critically Imperiled[6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Endangered[7]. It is also on CITES Appendix I, which puts controls on trade in the species between countries[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Endangered, listed June 2, 1970
NatureServe global rank[2] G3 (Vulnerable)
NatureServe US rank[6] N1 (Critically Imperiled)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Endangered
CITES (international trade)[8] Appendix I
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[9] 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals

Where Blue Whale lives

NatureServe lists the blue whale as native in 12 US states and territories, among them Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and South Carolina[3]. In Texas it is ranked as extirpated or possibly extirpated, which means it may no longer occur there[10]. People report it most often on GBIF from California, Alaska, Oregon, Massachusetts and New Jersey, but these counts follow where observers look, not how many whales live there[11].

Alaska: native, state rank S2AKMaine: 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 SNANYMassachusetts: native, state rank S1MAOregon: native, state rank SNAORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: native, state rank S1NJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: native, state rank SNRNRICalifornia: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: native, state rank S1MDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S2SCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: native, state rank SNRHITexas: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SHTXFlorida: native, state rank SNRFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[12].
Show state ranks (13 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlaskaS2Imperiled
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
FloridaSNRNot Ranked
HawaiiSNRNot Ranked
MaineSNRNot Ranked
MarylandS1Critically Imperiled
MassachusettsS1Critically Imperiled
New JerseyS1Critically Imperiled
New YorkSNANot Applicable
OregonSNANot Applicable
Rhode IslandSNRNNot Ranked (nonbreeding)
South CarolinaS2Imperiled
TexasSHPossibly Extirpated

Habitat

NatureServe records the blue whale as a pelagic animal, which means it lives in open seas away from the shore[13]. It tends to favor cold water and open sea[14]. Its young are born farther from the poles, where the water is warmer[14].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[13]

Size, diet and lifespan

The blue whale feeds mostly on krill, small shrimp-like animals, and does most of its feeding in waters near the poles[15]. EltonTraits estimates its diet as 100% invertebrates, animals without a backbone[16]. NatureServe gives a typical length of 3050 cm (1201 in)[17] and a typical adult weight of 136000 kg (299829 lb)[18]. A female usually has 1 young at a time[19]. Pregnancy lasts about 350 days[20]. Females can first breed at an age of 1,827 days[21]. The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 110 years[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[17] 3050 cm (1201 in)
Typical adult weight[18] 136000 kg (299829 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 110 years (wild)
Litter or clutch size[19] 1
Gestation or incubation[20] 350 days
Female maturity[21] 1,827 days (about 5.0 years)
Food habits[22] Invertivore
Active[23] diurnal
Migration[24] non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[16]

  • 100% invertebrates

When to look for it

NatureServe records the blue whale as active around the clock, both day and night[25], while EltonTraits lists its activity time as diurnal, meaning active by day[23]. Some populations stay put, some move short distances and some travel long distances, so migration differs between groups[24]. On GBIF, most US records fall in July, August and September, which reflects when people are out looking and reporting[26].

January: 200 recordsJanFebruary: 55 recordsFebMarch: 27 recordsMarApril: 43 recordsAprMay: 381 recordsMayJune: 1,443 recordsJunJuly: 2,385 recordsJulAugust: 2,300 recordsAugSeptember: 2,553 recordsSepOctober: 1,662 recordsOctNovember: 856 recordsNovDecember: 430 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[26].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January200
February55
March27
April43
May381
June1,443
July2,385
August2,300
September2,553
October1,662
November856
December430

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, Alaska, Oregon, Massachusetts, New Jersey[11]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the blue whale endangered?
Yes. It is listed as Endangered under the US Endangered Species Act since June 2, 1970[1], and its IUCN category recorded by NatureServe is Endangered[7].
Where do blue whales live in the US?
NatureServe lists the blue whale as native in 12 US states and territories, including Alaska, California, Hawaii, Florida and several Atlantic coast states[3]. It lives in open seas[13].
What do blue whales eat?
Blue whales eat mainly krill[15]. EltonTraits estimates their diet as 100% invertebrates[16].
How big is a blue whale?
NatureServe gives a typical length of 3050 cm (1201 in)[17] and a typical adult weight of 136000 kg (299829 lb)[18].
How long do blue whales live?
The oldest known blue whale in the wild lived 110 years, according to AnAge[4]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan[4].

Facts and sources

  1. Under the US Endangered Species Act, Blue whale has the status Endangered, listed June 2, 1970 (USFWS ECOS). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Blue Whale: G3 (Vulnerable). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Blue Whale as native in 12 US states and territories: Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 110 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a mammal in the family Balaenopteridae, order Cetacea. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N1 (Critically Imperiled). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Endangered. NatureServe Explorer
  8. CITES listing recorded by NatureServe: Appendix I (controls on international trade). NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe ranks Blue Whale as extirpated or possibly extirpated (SX or SH) in: Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  11. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Blue Whale: California, Alaska, Oregon, Massachusetts, New Jersey. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  12. NatureServe state ranks for Blue Whale (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  13. Habitat types NatureServe records for Blue Whale: Pelagic. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on habitat for Blue Whale. NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on food for Blue Whale. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 100% invertebrates. EltonTraits 1.0
  17. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 3050 cm (1201 in). NatureServe Explorer
  18. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 136000 kg (299829 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  19. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 1. AnAge
  20. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 350 days. AnAge
  21. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 1,827 days (about 5.0 years). AnAge
  22. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  23. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: diurnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  24. NatureServe migration category for Blue Whale: non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  25. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Circadian. NatureServe Explorer
  26. GBIF observation records of Blue Whale 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: NOAA Photo Library, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.