There’s a big baby that’s taking over the internet, and it’s of the bird kind.
Meet Pesto, the nine-month-old king penguin chick who is stealing hearts and boosting attendance at the Sea Life Aquarium in Melbourne, Australia.
Pesto weighs more than both of his proud parents combined at 49 pounds. His parents, Hudson and Tango, each weigh about 24 pounds.
According to a statement from Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, Pesto is the heaviest bird the facility has ever had.
His gender was announced to the world earlier this month when his goalkeeper, Michaela Smale, “shoveled[ed] remove a mountain of fresh snow to unleash a blue avalanche.”
According to the aquarium, Pesto has a “hearty appetite of 25 Meet Pesto, 49-pound baby penguin going viral fish per day,” contributing to its massive size.
Pesto’s weight isn’t the only thing that’s bulking up — his online following on social media site TikTok has grown, too.
According to an aquarium statement, the bird has amassed nearly 2 billion views worldwide.
Claire Burrell, General Manager of Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, said of Pesto, “he has brought immense joy to everyone here at Sea Life Melbourne and to penguin lovers around the world. We look forward to sharing his next adventure – which will include flying lessons and then swimming.”
As Pesto approaches adulthood, his growth spurt will be a young one.
The bird has already started to molt its brown feathers, which will then be replaced by the black and white ones typical of king penguins.
Aquarium keepers expect Pesto to drop his baby’s weight as he matures to about 33 pounds.
“He’s going to start losing that adorable baby fluff. It may take one to two months to get rid of it. Then he will be beautiful, graceful and simple,” a goalkeeper told the Associated Press.
Pesto was released on January 31st. For the rest of the penguin’s time as a chick, the aquarium says “Pesto has been a real crowd pleaser.”
According to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, king penguins weigh between 21 pounds and 40 pounds as adults.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Image Source : nypost.com