2024-09-24 23:05:26
Among the sea of shiny black and white penguins that delight tourists at a popular Australian zoo, one little penguin stands out.
Chocolate brown, shockingly fluffy and a head above his parents – as well as weighing more than both of them combined.
This is Pesto, the giant baby penguin.
The chubby baby shot to superstar status, becoming an online sensation and attracting a legion of obsessed fans, including pop star Katy Perry.
WENT BACK TO SEE PESTO THE PENGUIN. THE DEFINITION OF ABSOLUTE UNIT pic.twitter.com/Z4bHGNDN2v
— mj (@bigdybbukenergy) September 21, 2024
Pesto reached an audience of billions through social media and televised coverage, drawing travelers from around the world to Melbourne’s Sea Life Aquarium.
Born in January weighing only 200g, the nine-month-old king penguin is already more than a hundred times bigger. Today at 9 months, he weighs an impressive 22.5 kg. and is the largest penguin that has ever been in this zoo.
It’s normal for penguins to have “baby fat” after they hatch, the aquarium’s Jacinta Earley told the BBC, but keepers had no idea Pesto would get so huge.
“It’s a combination of nature and nurture,” explained the marine biologist.
Pesto’s biological father is quite tall, and the baby is also very well looked after by his foster parents, Tango and Hudson.
“He towers over them now, which also makes him look comically large.”
Earley says Pesto’s considerable weight is also partly due to his “very healthy appetite” — a tactful way of saying he devours up to 30 fish a day.
But she stresses that he’s healthy — essentially half fluff — and will soon begin to lose weight naturally.
“If I poke it, my whole finger completely [ще изчезне] deep in his feathers,” Early says.
“When he starts moulting, he’s going to lose a lot of that baby fluff and he’s also going to lose a lot of that weight, so he’s going to lose weight.”
A huge king penguin chick named Pesto, who weighs as much as both his parents combined, has become a social media celebrity and a star attraction at an Australian aquarium. pic.twitter.com/Iuhe9RhYyA
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 20, 2024
He’s already losing some of his baby feathers, but she says Pesto has many other qualities besides his fluffy appearance, dariknews reports.
She describes him as a social butterfly who squeals and likes to tease the adult penguins “like any little kid”.
“He’s the first to say hello [на гледачите си] and also lives up to its name”.
It’s generally a busy time of year for the aquarium, with the school holidays behind it, but the crowds this year are record-breaking – and they’re all flocking to the Penguin Aquarium to catch a glimpse of Pesto.
Olivia Wilson, who manages Pestom’s demanding media schedule, estimated that the cuddly baby reached an audience of around 5 billion.
Meet Pesto, the large and in charge 22-kilo penguin stealing hearts and eating fish. #Pesto #PestoThePenguin #Penguins pic.twitter.com/hfZdKgMCmW
— Empact News (@EmpactNews) September 24, 2024