Meet Pesto: The Enormous Penguin Taking the Internet by Storm!
Pesto, a king penguin chick born on January 30, 2024, at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, gained attention in September 2024 for his unusually large size during infancy.
Pesto's biological father is Blake, a 22-year-old king penguin at the aquarium. However, keepers chose Tango and Hudson, younger penguins, to raise him due to Blake's age and the others' unsuccessful attempts at hatching their own eggs.
Lovingly called a "fatty," "absolute unit," and "linebacker," the chubby chick has gone viral, gaining a huge following, including popstars Katy Perry and Olivia Rodrigo.
Although still a chick, Pesto weighs more than his parents, Hudson and Tango, combined. Though he is expected to shed some weight after molting.
By September 2024, at about 9 months old, Pesto was reported to be 90 centimetres tall and weighed 22.5 kilograms. Adult king penguins typically weigh between 9.5 kilograms and 18 kilograms.
Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium credits Pesto's large size to genetics, as his biological father Blake is the largest penguin there, a healthy appetite of more than 25 fishes a day, and partly to care provided by his foster parents.
In November 2024, Pesto started molting, shedding his baby feathers for adult ones. While his upper body remains covered in brown fluff, his lower body now has smooth white feathers, resembling the appearance of wearing shorts.