A pilot whale was captured on the north side of Catalina Island in March, 1976.  It was maintained and conditioned to capture for 106 days until transfer to Marineland of Flordia. Seven blood samples were collected on a weekly or biweekly interval to establish clinical stability during conditioning to capture and to determine baseline clincial values (mean and standard deviation, S.D.) for 25 clinical tests prior to transfer to the Florida attraction. After transfer a history of being a "poor-doer" developed for the whale and training to become a show performer was never completed.  On 26 March 1978 (two years after capture) the animal regurgitated, refused food for 2 days and died.  At necropsy the most striking lesions were found in the forestomach.  The wall of the forestomach was thickened to over 5 cm in areas (normal = 1 to 2 cm) and had a hard fibrous texture.  The epithelium of the mucosal surface appeared ulcerated in a large area in the ventral apex and the area was hyperemic.  A ball of 9 copper-jacketed shipping-box staples was found intertwined in the inflammed area and is considered to have caused the lesion. The only significant changes ( 2 S.D.) found in clinical values above baseline levels were in erythrocyte values and in the total white blood cell count.  The ingested staples resulted in chronic gastritis and apparently accounted for the clinical signs and subsequent death of the animal.