A total of 87 cetacean species (of 88) and an additional 37 subspecies or subpopulations have been evaluated for the IUCN Red List.
Ganges River dolphin, Platanista gangetica gangetica, photographed in the Kulsi River, India. Rivers dolphins in this river are threatened by construction of a new dam. Photo credit: Mark Cawardine.
The Yangtze River dolphin (Lipotes vexillifer) is classified as critically endangered and may already be functionally extinct. The vaquita (Phocoena sinus), a porpoise resident in the inner Gulf of California in Mexico is the other cetacean that is listed as critically endangered. Seven species are endangered: sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis), blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis), North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica), the South Asian river dolphins (Platanista gangetica), and Hector’s dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori). Six species are classified as vulnerable and five are near threatened. Many species are very little known and have been classified as Data Deficient.
| Category | Species | Subspecies/populations | Total |
| Critically Endangered | 2 | 15 | 17 |
| Endangered | 7 | 10 | 17 |
| Vulnerable | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| Near Threatened | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Least Concern | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| Lower Risk/Conservation Dependent* | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Data Deficient | 45 | 4 | 49 |
| Total | 87** | 37 | 124 |
*This classification is from the 1994 red list categories and criteria, version 2.3.
** One species not yet evaluated.
Below is a list of all the cetacean species, subspecies and populations that have been listed on the IUCN Red List, along with their threat category, the specific criteria that they satisfy, and a link to the detailed red list species evaluation.
| Species Name | Common Name | Subspecies/ subpopulation | Red List Category | Red List Criteria | Population Trend | Year Assessed |
| Balaena mysticetus | Bowhead Whale | LC | - | increasing | 2008 | |
| Balaena mysticetus (Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Sea subpopulation) | LR/CD | - | - | 1996 | ||
| Balaena mysticetus (Okhotsk Sea subpopulation) | EN | D | unknown | 2008 | ||
| Balaena mysticetus (Svalbard-Barents Sea (Spitsbergen) subpopulation) | CR | D | unknown | 2008 | ||
| Balaenoptera acutorostrata | Common Minke Whale | LC | - | stable | 2008 | |
| Balaenoptera bonaerensis | Antarctic Minke Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Balaenoptera borealis | Sei Whale | EN | A1ad | unknown | 2008 | |
| Balaenoptera edeni | Bryde’s Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Balaenoptera musculus | Blue Whale | EN | A1abd | increasing | 2008 | |
| Balaenoptera musculus ssp. brevicauda | DD | - | - | 1996 | ||
| Balaenoptera musculus ssp.intermedia | CR | A1abd | increasing | 2008 | ||
| Balaenoptera musculus ssp.musculus (North Atlantic Stock) | VU | D1 | needs updating | 1996 | ||
| Balaenoptera musculus ssp.musculus (North Pacific Stock) | LR/CD | - | needs updating | 1996 | ||
| Balaenoptera omurai | Omura’s Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Balaenoptera physalus | Fin Whale | EN | A1d | unknown | 2008 | |
| Balaenoptera physalus (Mediteranean subpopulation) | VU | C2a(ii) | decreasing | 2012 | ||
| Berardius arnuxii | Arnoux’s Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Berardius bairdii | Baird’s Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Caperea marginata | Pygmy Right Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Cephalorhynchus commersonii | Commerson’s Dolphin | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Cephalorhynchus eutropia | Chilean Dolphin | NT | - | decreasing | 2008 | |
| Cephalorhynchus heavisidii | Heaviside’s Dolphin | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Cephalorhynchus hectori | Hector’s Dolphin | EN | A4d | decreasing | 2008 | |
| Cephalorhynchus hectori ssp. maui | CR | A4cd;C2a(ii) | decreasing | 2008 | ||
| Delphinapterus leucas | Beluga | NT | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Delphinapterus leucas (Cook Inlet subpopulation) | CR | C2a(ii) | - | 2006 | ||
| Delphinus capensis | Long-beaked Common Dolphin | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Delphinus delphis | Short-beaked Common Dolphin | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Delphinus delphis (Mediterranean subpopulation) | EN | A2abc | decreasing | 2003 | ||
| Delphinus delphis ssp. ponticus | VU | A2cde | - | 2008 | ||
| Eschrichtius robustus | Gray Whale | LC | - | stable | 2008 | |
| Eschrichtius robustus (western subpopulation) | CR | C2a(ii);EN | increasing | 2008 | ||
| Eubalaena australis | Southern Right Whale | LC | - | increasing | 2008 | |
| Eubalaena australis (Chile-Peru subpopulation) | CR | D | unknown | 2008 | ||
| Eubalaena glacialis | North Atlantic Right Whale | EN | D | increasing | 2008 | |
| Eubalaena japonica | North Pacific Right Whale | EN | D | unknown | 2008 | |
| Eubalaena japonica (Northeast Pacific subpopulation) | CR | D | unknown | 2008 | ||
| Feresa attenuata | Pygmy Killer Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Globicephala macrorhynchus | Short-finned Pilot Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Globicephala melas | Long-finned Pilot Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Globicephala melas (Mediteranean subpopulation) | DD | - | unknown | 2012 | ||
| Grampus griseus | Risso’s Dolphin | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Grampus griseus (Mediteranean subpopulation) | DD | - | unknown | 2012 | ||
| Hyperoodon ampullatus | North Atlantic Bottlenose Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Hyperoodon planifrons | Southern Bottlenose Whale | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Indopacetus pacificus | Indo-pacific Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Inia geoffrensis | Amazon River dolphin | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Kogia breviceps | Pygmy Sperm Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Kogia sima | Dwarf Sperm Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Lagenodelphis hosei | Fraser’s Dolphin | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Lagenorhynchus acutus | Atlantic White-sided Dolphin | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Lagenorhynchus albirostris | White-beaked Dolphin | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Lagenorhynchus australis | Peale’s Dolphin | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Lagenorhynchus cruciger | Hourglass Dolphin | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Lagenorhynchus obliquidens | Pacific White-sided Dolphin | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Lagenorhynchus obscurus | Dusky Dolphin | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Lipotes vexillifer | Baiji | CR | C2a(ii);D | possibly extinct | 2008 | |
| Lissodelphis borealis | Northern Right Whale Dolphin | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Lissodelphis peronii | Southern Right Whale Dolphin | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Megaptera novaeangliae | Humpback Whale | LC | - | increasing | 2008 | |
| Megaptera novaeangliae (Arabian Sea subpopulation) | EN | D | unknown | 2008 | ||
| Megaptera novaeangliae (Oceania subpopulation) | EN | A1ad | increasing | 2008 | ||
| Mesoplodon bidens | Sowerby’s Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Mesoplodon bowdoini | Andrew’s Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Mesoplodon carlhubbsi | Hubbs’ Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Mesoplodon densirostris | Blainville’s Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Mesoplodon europaeus | Gervais’ Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Mesoplodon ginkgodens | Ginkgo-toothed Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Mesoplodon grayi | Gray’s Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Mesoplodon hectori | Hector’s Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Mesoplodon layardii | Strap-toothed Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Mesoplodon mirus | True’s Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Mesoplodon perrini | Perrin’s Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Mesoplodon peruvianus | Pygmy Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Mesoplodon stejnegeri | Stejneger’s Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Mesoplodon traversii | Spade-toothed Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Monodon monoceros | Narwhal | NT | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Neophocaena phocaenoides | Indo-pacific Finless Porpoise | VU | A2cde | decreasing | 2011 | |
| Neophocaena asiaeorientalis | Narrow-ridged finless porpoise | VU | A2cde | decreasing | 2011 | |
| Orcaella brevirostris | Irrawaddy Dolphin | VU | A4cd | decreasing | 2008 | |
| Orcaella brevirostris (Ayeyarwady River subpopulation) | CR | C2a(i,ii); D | decreasing | 2004 | ||
| Orcaella brevirostris (Mahakam River subpopulation) | CR | D | unknown | 2008 | ||
| Orcaella brevirostris (Malampaya Sound subpopulation) | CR | C2a(i,ii); D | decreasing | 2004 | ||
| Orcaella brevirostris (Mekong River subpopulation) | CR | C2a(i,ii); D | decreasing | 2004 | ||
| Orcaella brevirostris (Songkhla Lake subpopulation) | CR | C2a(i,ii); D | decreasing | 2004 | ||
| Orcaella heinsohni | Australian Snubfin Dolphin | NT | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Orcinus orca | Killer Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Peponocephala electra | Melon-headed Whale | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Phocoena dioptrica | Spectacled Porpoise | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Phocoena phocoena | Harbour Porpoise | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Phocoena phocoena (Baltic Sea subpopulation) | CR | C2a(ii) | decreasing | 2008 | ||
| Phocoena phocoena ssp. relicta | EN | A1d+4cde | decreasing | 2008 | ||
| Phocoena sinus | Vaquita | CR | A4d;C2a(ii) | decreasing | 2008 | |
| Phocoena spinipinnis | Burmeister’s Porpoise | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Phocoenoides dalli | White-flanked Porpoise | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Physeter macrocephalus | Sperm Whale | VU | A1d | unknown | 2008 | |
| Physeter macrocephalus (Mediteranean subpopulation) | EN | C2a(ii) | decreasing | 2012 | ||
| Platanista gangetica | South Asian River Dolphin | EN | A2abcde | unknown | 2008 | |
| Platanista gangetica ssp. gangetica | EN | A2abcde+3bcde+4abcde | decreasing | 2004 | ||
| Platanista gangetica ssp. minor | EN | A2abcde; B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv); C1 | unknown | 2004 | ||
| Pontoporia blainvillei | Franciscana | VU | A | decreasing | 2008 | |
| Pontoporia blainvillei (Rio Grande do Sul/Uruguay subpopulation) | VU | A2d | decreasing | 2003 | ||
| Pseudorca crassidens | False Killer Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Sotalia fluviatilis | Tucuxi | DD | - | unknown | 2010 | |
| Sotalia guianensis | Guiana Dolphin | DD | - | unknown | 2009 | |
| Sousa chinensis | Indo-pacific Hump-backed Dolphin | NT | - | decreasing | 2008 | |
| Sousa chinensis (eastern Taiwan Strait subpopulation) | CR | C2a(ii) | decreasing | 2008 | ||
| Sousa teuszii | Atlantic Humpbacked Dolphin | VU | C2a(i) | decreasing | 2008 | |
| Stenella attenuata | Pantropical Spotted Dolphin | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Stenella clymene | Clymene Dolphin | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Stenella coeruleoalba | Striped Dolphin | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Stenella coeruleoalba(Mediterranean subpopulation) | VU | A2bcde | unknown | 2012 | ||
| Stenella frontalis | Atlantic Spotted Dolphin | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Stenella longirostris | Spinner Dolphin | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Stenella longirostris ssp. orientalis | VU | A2d | increasing | 2008 | ||
| Steno bredanensis | Rough-toothed Dolphin | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Tasmacetus shepherdi | Shepherd’s Beaked Whale | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Tursiops aduncus | Indo-pacific Bottlenose Dolphin | DD | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Tursiops truncatus | Common Bottlenose Dolphin | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Tursiops truncatus ssp.ponticus | EN | A2cde | unknown | 2008 | ||
| Tursiops truncatus (Mediteranean subpopulation) | VU | A2cde(ii) | decreasing | 2012 | ||
| Tursiops truncatus (Fiordland subpopulation) | CR | A3bcd;C1 | decreasing | 2010 | ||
| Ziphius cavirostris | Cuvier’s Beaked Whale | LC | - | unknown | 2008 | |
| Ziphius cavirostris (Mediteranean subpopulation) | DD | - | unknown | 2012 | ||
