# Northern pike (*Esox lucius*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/northern-pike  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The northern pike (Esox lucius) is a bony fish in the family Esocidae, order Esociformes. It has a representative body length of 47.5 cm, and the highest value reported by our sources is 1.225 m. Its lifespan is given as 7 years. The IUCN Red List assesses the northern pike globally as Least Concern, which is not a threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | up to 28.4 kg |
| Length | 47.5 cm – 1.23 m |
| Lifespan | 7 years |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | freshwater |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Teleostei
- order: Esociformes
- family: Esocidae
- genus: Esox
- species: *Esox lucius* Linnaeus, 1758

Synonyms: *Esox australis*, *Esox boreus*, *Esox depraudus*, *Esox estor*, *Esox lucioides*, *Esox lucius*, *Esox lucius atrox*, *Esox lucius bergi*, *Esox lucius lucius*, *Esox lucius natio wiliunensis*, *Esox lucius var. atrox*, *Esox lucius var. variegatus*, *Esox lucius variegatus*, *Esox lugubrosus*, *Esox reichertii baicalensis*, *Esox reichertii var. baicalensis*, *Luccius vorax*, *Lucius lucius*, *Trematina foveolata*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the northern pike?

The northern pike is a bony fish in the family Esocidae, order Esociformes.

### How big is the northern pike?

Its representative body length is 47.5 cm, and the highest value reported by our sources is 1.225 m.

### How long does the northern pike live?

The northern pike's lifespan is given as 7 years.

### Is the northern pike endangered?

No. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List in a global assessment, which is not a threatened category.

### What is the scientific name of the northern pike and who named it?

Its scientific name is Esox lucius, named by Linnaeus, 1758.

### What other names does the northern pike have?

Other English names for the northern pike are Jack, Pike, Luce, Jackfish and Pond shark.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Northern pike (Esox lucius). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/northern-pike