# Are Blue Whales Endangered?

> Blue whales are IUCN Endangered (2018), trend Increasing. Planning range often 10,000–25,000. Antarctic subspecies B. m. intermedia is Critically Endangered.

- **Species:** Blue Whale (*Balaenoptera musculus*)
- **Conservation status:** Endangered
- **Diet:** Carnivore (krill)
- **Habitat:** Open oceans worldwide
- **Lifespan:** 80–90 years
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/blue-whale/are-blue-whale-endangered/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/blue-whale/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The blue whale is the largest animal known to have ever existed, reaching up to 30 m (98 ft) long and 180 tonnes. It feeds almost entirely on tiny krill, eating up to 4 tonnes a day, and its heart alone can weigh as much as a small car. Blue whales can live 80 to 90 years.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need the full biology — use the [Blue Whale profile](https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/blue-whale/) instead.

## The largest animal ever

Blue whales are bigger than any dinosaur known to science. Their tongue alone can weigh as much as an elephant, and their heart can be the size of a small car. A newborn calf is already around 7 m long and gains roughly 90 kg every day in its first months.

## Help protect the Blue Whale

Blue whales remain Endangered (2018) after industrial whaling; a widely cited global range is 10,000–25,000. The Antarctic subspecies is Critically Endangered. WARN does not run whale research ships.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/blue-whale/are-blue-whale-endangered/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.