Move over, Moo Deng, there's a new superstar baby animal that's become a surprise viral sensation – a nine-month-old king penguin chick named Pesto whose species-defying growth spurt has made this big boy a worldwide hit.
Pesto, who emerged from an avocado-sized egg on January 30, 2024, at Sea Life Melbourne aquarium in Australia – and was named in honor of one of the colony's beloved former king penguins, Basil – now weighs in at a formidable 22.5 kg (49.6 lb). The average weight of this second-largest species of penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) varies considerably, but is generally in the range of 9.3 kg (20.5 lb) to 18 kg (39.7 lb).
While Pesto is close to reaching his top size, and will soon undergo his first molt, losing his fluffy brown down to reveal his young adult plumage beneath, he's still expected to remain a 'huge unit' despite most likely sizing down a little as he matures.
In the wild, where they inhabit regions across the Southern Ocean and Sub-Antarctic including Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen and South Georgia, chicks like Pesto steadily gain independence and form creches with other babies, however this big boy was the breeding season's 'only child' at Sea Life Melbourne. As of 2020, their wild populations had been steadily increasing and are now considered of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. However, their lengthy breeding cycle does make them vulnerable to disturbances – and in February 2024, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was detected in a South Georgia colony, as birds (and now many mammals) around the globe face an unprecedented threat from what scientists now recognize as a panzootic.
Fortunately, bird flu is something that is unlikely to ever concern Pesto – who will live out his life in an enclosure that has strict biosecurity procedures in place to keep the exhibit's king and smaller gentoo penguins free from external virus exposure. It's one of the many reasons why penguins in captivity have a much longer lifespan than those in the wild, where kings have a lifespan of around 20-plus years.
"He has brought immense joy to everyone here at Sea Life Melbourne and to penguin fans around the world," said the aquarium's General Manager, Claire Burrell. "We look forward to sharing his future adventure – which will include fledging and then swimming lessons.”
Immense joy may be an understatement, with Pesto in recent weeks spreading across TikTok and Instagram – and now global news outlets. King penguins move by walking, as opposed to many other species that hop, which makes this big baby's awkward waddle even funnier.
As of September 22, Pesto weighs in at double the heft of his foster parents Tango and Hudson combined, but his voracious appetite and now a diet of some 25 fish a day saw him quickly surpass mom and dad. He's also outsized the aquarium's former heavyweight champion, his biological father Blake, who tips the scales at around 18 kg (39.7 lb).
It's expected that once Pesto undergoes his molt – known as a catastrophic molt, something all penguins undergo annually – he'll most likely size down to weigh around the same as Blake or some of the other larger kings in the colony.
Now, his fame has not just brought a crowd of fans to the popular Melbourne tourist spot (which, for full disclosure, I moonlight at on weekends – albeit on the other side of the glass to Pesto), but inspired a suite of fan art and, naturally, memes.
You can check out more of the Pesto obsession on social media – TikTok and Instagram in particular – by searching hashtags including #pestothepengion and #kingpesto.
And see our gallery showing a timeline of Pesto's growth, before he gained celebrity status.
Source: Sea Life Melbourne