At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Increasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The blue whale is the largest animal known to have ever lived, reaching around 30 metres. It is assessed as Endangered.
It feeds almost entirely on tiny krill, filtering vast amounts of seawater through baleen plates.
Range & habitat
Found in oceans worldwide, migrating between cold feeding waters and warmer breeding areas.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Ship strikes
- Entanglement in fishing gear
- Past commercial whaling (now recovering)
Why it matters
As the largest animal ever, the blue whale's slow recovery from industrial whaling is one of conservation's most important tests, and the species helps cycle nutrients through the oceans.
The largest animal known to have lived.
Sources
Sources for Blue Whale
- IUCN Red List — look up Blue Whale (authoritative status)
- NOAA Fisheries
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is a blue whale?
It is the largest animal known to have lived, reaching roughly 30 metres long and weighing well over 100 tonnes — larger than any dinosaur for which we have good evidence.
Why is the blue whale Endangered?
Industrial whaling drastically reduced blue whale numbers in the 20th century. Although now protected and slowly recovering, they remain threatened by ship strikes and entanglement. See the IUCN Red List.
Last updated: