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Shortfin Mako

Isurus oxyrinchus

Fish · family Lamnidae · order Lamniformes

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
Native in
8 states[2]
Longest recorded life
25 years[3]

The Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) is a fish in the family Lamnidae[4]. NatureServe records its IUCN Red List category as Endangered, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[5][1].

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe for this fish is Endangered[5]. That is a global conservation rating. In US federal data from USFWS, the Shortfin Mako is not listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act[1]. Not being listed under the ESA is a legal status, and it does not tell you how the fish is doing.

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[5] Endangered

Where Shortfin Mako lives

NatureServe lists the Shortfin Mako as native in 8 US states and territories: Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina and Texas[2]. Sighting reports on GBIF come most often from California, North Carolina, Florida, Maryland and New Jersey[6]. Those counts follow where people look and report, so they do not show how many animals live in each state[6].

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: native, state rank SNRNJConnecticut: 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 S2SCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: native, state rank S3LAMississippi: native, state rank SUMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S2TXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[7].
Show state ranks (8 states)
StateRankMeaning
DelawareSNRNot Ranked
LouisianaS3Vulnerable
MaineSNRNot Ranked
MississippiSUUnrankable
New JerseySNRNot Ranked
New YorkSNRNot Ranked
South CarolinaS2Imperiled
TexasS2Imperiled

Lifespan

Female sexual maturity comes at 5,475 days[8]. The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 25 years[3]. That is a record and not a typical lifespan[3].

Trait Value
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[3] 25 years (wild)
Litter or clutch size[9] 12.5
Female maturity[8] 5,475 days (about 15.0 years)

When to look for it

Most GBIF observation records of the Shortfin Mako in the United States fall in June, July and August[10]. July has the highest count of the year[10]. These records show when people look and report, not how many animals are present[10].

January: 13 recordsJanFebruary: 9 recordsFebMarch: 10 recordsMarApril: 8 recordsAprMay: 17 recordsMayJune: 58 recordsJunJuly: 99 recordsJulAugust: 54 recordsAugSeptember: 31 recordsSepOctober: 18 recordsOctNovember: 16 recordsNovDecember: 11 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
January13
February9
March10
April8
May17
June58
July99
August54
September31
October18
November16
December11

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Shortfin Mako as present in 3 park units[11]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, North Carolina, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey[6]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Shortfin Mako endangered?
NatureServe records its IUCN Red List category as Endangered[5]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1].
Where does the Shortfin Mako live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina and Texas[2].
How long does a Shortfin Mako live?
The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 25 years[3]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan[3].
When are Shortfin Makos reported most often?
GBIF records in the United States are most often from June, July and August[10]. Records reflect when people look and report, not how many animals there are[10].

Facts and sources

  1. Shortfin Mako 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 lists Shortfin Mako as native in 8 US states and territories: Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  3. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 25 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  4. Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) is a fish in the family Lamnidae, order Lamniformes. NatureServe Explorer
  5. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Endangered. NatureServe Explorer
  6. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Shortfin Mako: California, North Carolina, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  7. NatureServe state ranks for Shortfin Mako (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  8. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 5,475 days (about 15.0 years). AnAge
  9. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 12.5. AnAge
  10. GBIF observation records of Shortfin Mako in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  11. NPSpecies park lists recording Shortfin Mako as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

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.