Balaenoptera musculus
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
↑Increasing
Population trend
25
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_whale
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
ANIMALIA
Phylum
CHORDATA
Class
MAMMALIA
Order
ARTIODACTYLA
Family
BALAENOPTERIDAE
Genus
Balaenoptera
Balaenoptera musculus belongs to the family BALAENOPTERIDAE, order ARTIODACTYLA, within the MAMMALIA class.
Habitat & Distribution
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Assessed as Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources
Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals
Shipping lanes
Conservation Actions
Found in 25 Countries
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (EN).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | ENEndangered | ENEndangered | Same |
| EU | ENEndangered | ENEndangered | Same |
| EU | ENEndangered | ENEndangered | Same |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Balaenoptera musculus (Balaenoptera musculus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/blue-whale