A Big Baby Penguin Named 'Pesto' In Melbourne Is Now The Internet's Latest Obsession
An absolute unit.
By Tamara Jayne — 24 Sep 2024, 05:43 PM
At just nine months old, Pesto is already the biggest baby king penguin Melbourne's SEA LIFE Aquarium has ever had
Weighing in at a whopping 21kg, this fluffy giant has quickly become a fan favourite!
Born earlier this year, Pesto now towers over his penguin pals, including his foster parents, Tango and Hudson.
Videos of him waddling behind them with his signature 'chonky' strut have charmed the Internet, leaving everyone amused and enchanted by his size and cuteness.
But why is Pesto so big?
There are a couple of reasons for Pesto's impressive bulk. For one, his biological dad, Blake, is the oldest and biggest penguin at the aquarium, so genetics are definitely at play.
Secondly, Pesto's foster parents, Hudson and Tango, have been looking after him really well.
Pesto gets fed about eight fish, four times a day! That's over 30 fish daily, double what an average adult penguin eats.
SEA LIFE Aquarium keeper Michaela Smale told ABC News that while it's normal for king penguin chicks to be big, Pesto is exceptionally large.
"He is a chunky monkey, but he is healthy," she joked.
As adorable as Pesto's 'chonky' phase is, he won't stay this big forever
The fluffy penguin will be losing a large portion of this weight once he fledges, or develops his adult feathers.
According to CNN, Pesto is already starting to shed his baby feathers, and his swimming lessons with his dad Blake will start soon.
"Once those baby feathers come off, he'll shrink like a balloon and be slender and beautiful and ready to take his first steps in the pool," fellow keeper Jacinta Early shared with ABC News.
