<p>Three months and thousands of kilometres: that's how much Moon the humpback whale has travelled, that too with a broken back.</p>

<p>Navigating ocean swells and currents, in immense pain the whale has travelled 5,000km (3,100 miles)&nbsp;all the way from British Columbia to Hawaii. However, as per The North Coast Cetacean Society a.k.a., BC Whales, &nbsp;it is likely that Moon will die soon.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;WION Climate Tracker | Study: Blue Whales eat 10 million pieces of microplastics daily</strong></p>

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<p>The non-profit whale-research organisation that is dedicated to the research and protection of cetaceans along the northern coast of British Columbia, as per Guardian said that Moon's story is a stark reminder of the growing dangers that these gentle marine giants face along Canada's west coast.</p>

<p>"It’s absolutely amazing...but also it just breaks your heart," said Janie Wray the CEO of BC Whales, as she talked about the whale's long migratory journey that too without the use of her tail due to the broken back.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chimpanzees-show-objects-to-others-just-like-humans-to-simply-grab-attention-study-534256" hreflang="en">Chimpanzees show objects to others, just like humans to simply grab attention: Study</a></strong></p>

<p>The organisation as per a post on Instagram first noticed Moon's injury on September 7.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"As our drone hovered overhead we immediately recognized that this whale had been struck by a vessel due to the unnatural ‘S’ bend in the spine from the dorsal fin to her fluke," said the organisation, adding "In her current condition, she will not survive to make the return journey."</p>

<p><img alt="Moon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="39a5f306-7e1d-4efb-9229-5fd778011667" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20wion%20%2817%29_1.png" /></p>

<p><sup><strong>Image courtesy: BC Whales/Instagram</strong></sup></p>

<p>On December 1, the Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) spotted a whale with a severely deformed spine and it was soon confirmed that it was Moon. Humpback whales have a " tradition of migrating between feeding and breeding grounds". She was most probably born in Hawaii which is a breeding ground for whales like her.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>When spotted with the deformity the second time, she was found to be "emancipated and covered with whale lice as a testament to her severely depreciated condition."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/climate-change-may-kill-65-per-cent-of-insects-on-earth-says-a-study-533970" hreflang="en">Climate change may kill 65 per cent of insects on Earth, says a study</a></strong></p>

<p>"This is the stark reality of a vessel strike, and it speaks to the extended suffering that whales can endure afterwards, " said the whale protection organisation in its post.&nbsp;</p>

<p>BC Whales further said that while we may never truly understand the strength it must've taken for Moon to complete this journey, the tenacity must be respected.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It added that we must "recognise that vessel strikes lead to a devastating end," and urged boaters to be aware of the local laws and best practices. It further urged mariners to "stay alert, slow down and wait" adding that vessels of all sizes "can be a threat".</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Three months and thousands of kilometres: that's how much Moon the humpback whale has travelled, that too with a broken back. Navigating ocean swells and currents, in immense pain the whale has travelled 5,000km (3,100 miles) all the way from British Columbia to Hawaii.

Three months and thousands of kilometres: that's how much Moon the humpback whale has travelled, that too with a broken back. Navigating ocean swells and currents, in immense pain the whale has travelled 5,000km (3,100 miles) all the way from British Columbia to Hawaii. However, as per The North Coast Cetacean Society a.k.a., BC Whales, it is likely that Moon will die soon. Watch | WION Climate Tracker | Study: Blue Whales eat 10 million pieces of microplastics daily The non-profit whale-research organisation that is dedicated to the research and protection of cetaceans along the northern coast of British Columbia, as per Guardian said that Moon's story is a stark reminder of the growing dangers that these gentle marine giants face along Canada's west coast. "It’s absolutely amazing...but also it just breaks your heart," said Janie Wray the CEO of BC Whales, as she talked about the whale's long migratory journey that too without the use of her tail due to the broken back. Also read | Chimpanzees show objects to others, just like humans to simply grab attention: Study The organisation as per a post on Instagram first noticed Moon's injury on September 7. "As our drone hovered overhead we immediately recognized that this whale had been struck by a vessel due to the unnatural ‘S’ bend in the spine from the dorsal fin to her fluke," said the organisation, adding "In her current condition, she will not survive to make the return journey." Image courtesy: BC Whales/Instagram On December 1, the Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) spotted a whale with a severely deformed spine and it was soon confirmed that it was Moon. Humpback whales have a " tradition of migrating between feeding and breeding grounds". She was most probably born in Hawaii which is a breeding ground for whales like her. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BCWhales (@bcwhales) × When spotted with the deformity the second time, she was found to be "emancipated and covered with whale lice as a testament to her severely depreciated condition." Also read | Climate change may kill 65 per cent of insects on Earth, says a study "This is the stark reality of a vessel strike, and it speaks to the extended suffering that whales can endure afterwards, " said the whale protection organisation in its post. BC Whales further said that while we may never truly understand the strength it must've taken for Moon to complete this journey, the tenacity must be respected. It added that we must "recognise that vessel strikes lead to a devastating end," and urged boaters to be aware of the local laws and best practices. It further urged mariners to "stay alert, slow down and wait" adding that vessels of all sizes "can be a threat". (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Absolutely amazing...but also breaks your heart': Moon the humpback whale travels 5000kms with a broken back

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'Absolutely amazing...but also breaks your heart': Moon the humpback whale travels 5000kms with a broken back