A male Beluga whale, born July 13, 1977, was presented at 4 months of age. About 2-4 weeks prior to its death it was noted to have aberrant swimming patterns and developed a list to the right. It became progressively weaker, developed anorexia, was treated with numerous intramuscular injections of antibiotics, was tube fed on two occasions and blood samples taken. At death, November 1, 1977, the weight was 73.6 kg and length 160 cm. There was a thick slough of epidermis over the anterior half of the body. Blubber thickness varied from 3.5 cm on the dorsal surface to 2.0 cm on the ventral. Thoracic and abdominal viscera, as well as rib fracture sites and deep body wall, were riddled with multiple abscesses up to 10 cm in diameter. Nocardia sp. was cultured. Adhesions of the gut to the abdominal wall in the area of the umbilicus indicate a possible entry site and a restricted passage for ingesta. Analysis of mother's milk did not show the bacterium. A water-born infection at or near birth is suspected.