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White Shark

Carcharodon carcharias

Fish · family Lamnidae · 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.

White Shark
Photo: Pterantula (Terry Goss) at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G2 Imperiled[2]
Native in
10 states[3]
Longest recorded life
50 years[4]

The White Shark, also called the Great White Shark, is a fish in the family Lamnidae[5][6]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[1], and NatureServe lists it as native in 10 US states[3].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the White Shark a global rank of G2, which it labels Imperiled[2]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Vulnerable[7]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. Being left off the ESA list does not mean the species is free of risk.

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G2 (Imperiled)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Vulnerable

Where White Shark lives

NatureServe lists the White Shark as native in 10 US states: California, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina and Texas[3]. Each state has its own NatureServe rank, shown in the table on this page, and several states have no rank yet[8]. People also report it in North Carolina, Georgia and Massachusetts, but these reports show where observers look, not how many sharks live there[9].

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 S2NYMassachusetts: 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: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: native, state rank SNRMDDelaware: 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: native, state rank S4MLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank SNRTXFlorida: native, state rank S1FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[8].
Show state ranks (10 states)
StateRankMeaning
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
DelawareSNRNot Ranked
FloridaS1Critically Imperiled
LouisianaS4MApparently Secure (migrant)
MaineSNRNot Ranked
MarylandSNRNot Ranked
New JerseySNRNot Ranked
New YorkS2Imperiled
South CarolinaS3Vulnerable
TexasSNRNot Ranked

Lifespan

The oldest known White Shark in the AnAge database lived 50 years in the wild[4]. That is a record, not how long most of these sharks live. A typical litter, meaning the group of young born at one time, has 6 young[10].

Trait Value
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 50 years (wild)
Litter or clutch size[10] 6

When to look for it

Reports of White Sharks in the United States on GBIF peak in August, September and October[11]. These counts follow when people are out looking and reporting, not how many sharks are around[11].

January: 144 recordsJanFebruary: 139 recordsFebMarch: 86 recordsMarApril: 81 recordsAprMay: 93 recordsMayJune: 95 recordsJunJuly: 259 recordsJulAugust: 570 recordsAugSeptember: 473 recordsSepOctober: 394 recordsOctNovember: 297 recordsNovDecember: 231 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[11].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January144
February139
March86
April81
May93
June95
July259
August570
September473
October394
November297
December231

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, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Massachusetts[9]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the great white shark endangered?
It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G2, or Imperiled, worldwide[2], and the IUCN category it records is Vulnerable[7].
Where do great white sharks live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in 10 states, including California, Florida, New York, Maine and Texas[3].
How long do great white sharks live?
The longest recorded lifespan in AnAge is 50 years in the wild[4]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan.
When is the best time to see a great white shark?
Most US reports on GBIF come in August, September and October[11]. This shows when people report sightings, not when more sharks are present.

Facts and sources

  1. White 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 White Shark: G2 (Imperiled). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists White Shark as native in 10 US states and territories: California, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 50 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is a fish in the family Lamnidae, order Lamniformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. Other English names listed by NatureServe for White Shark: Great White Shark. NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Vulnerable. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe state ranks for White Shark (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  9. US states with the most GBIF observation records of White Shark: California, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Massachusetts. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  10. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 6. AnAge
  11. GBIF observation records of White 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: Pterantula (Terry Goss) at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.