Pesto, a nine-month-old king penguin at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium in Australia, is a true giant among penguins. Weighing in at a whopping 20 kilograms, he’s already surpassed the size of his parents and become the aquarium’s biggest chick ever. This record-breaking penguin has taken the internet by storm, with photos of Pesto, who stands 90 centimeters tall, going viral and sparking widespread interest in these captivating creatures.
While most people recognize the sleek black and white plumage of adult penguins, king penguin chicks are born with brown feathers. These feathers will eventually fall off as they learn to swim, a process known as fledging. Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium proudly shared a video of Pesto on Instagram, captioning it, “Pesto the penguin has just broken a record at @sealifemelbourneaquarium becoming the centre’s biggest ever chick, weighing in at 20kg.” The video has garnered over 45 lakh views, showcasing Pesto’s impressive size and captivating viewers with his adorable antics.
To maintain his impressive growth, Pesto devours an impressive 25 fish daily, spread over four meals. This is about double the amount an adult king penguin consumes, highlighting the incredible energy needed to fuel his development. Penguins are known for their fascinating social structures and captivating behavior. However, their gender is not easily identifiable by appearance alone. To determine a penguin’s sex, keepers carefully collect a small blood sample from the toe and send it to a lab for analysis.
Despite his immense size, Pesto’s biological father, Blake, is one of the largest and oldest penguins in the aquarium. However, Pesto is being raised by Tango and Hudson, two younger penguins selected by the Sea Life keepers to experience parenthood. Many of the 60 penguins at the aquarium have food-inspired names, such as Pudding, Whopper, and Lamingtons.
As a chick, Pesto still receives extra food from his parents, leading to a lot of waste. Penguins are notoriously frequent poopers, making their daily duties about every 15 minutes. This keeps the aquarium keepers busy cleaning the exhibit for visitors. Pesto is steadily approaching adulthood, marked by the shedding of his baby feathers. Soon, he will begin swimming lessons, likely under the watchful eye of his father, Blake. This remarkable young penguin is a testament to the captivating world of penguins and the dedicated care they receive at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium.
