Ten free living beluga whales, Delphinapterus leucas, from the Churchill River, Manitoba, were sampled for hematological and serological analyses immediately after capture. Five female whales were retained briefly in local acclimatization and were sampled periodically. One whale was released during this time. Four whales were transported to New York by air where they were divided into two groups; one transported immediately by truck to an indoor closed system acclimation facility, and the other maintained in an outdoor open system for prolonged acclimatization prior to ground transport to an indoor closed system. Hematological and serological parameters were studied throughout acclimations and transports of both groups.