While scrolling through social media recently, you might have encountered an adorably fluffy and massive penguin chick waddling his way around. That penguin, Pesto, is a beloved resident of SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium, and at just nine months old, he currently weighs a whopping 23.5kg! This makes Pesto the Penguin the largest chick that this aquarium has ever seen, earning him a huge place in our hearts. You can see Pesto and the rest of the colony for yourself at the aquarium, which is open daily from 9am to 5pm.
Pesto the Penguin
Pesto is a King penguin who hatched earlier this year. The breeding season for King penguins happens in longer cycle, and while six chicks hatched at the aquarium a couple of years ago, Pesto was the only one to hatch this year. This fluffy boy has a hearty appetite, and eats 25 fish a day. He’s also double the weight of his parents, Hudson and Tango.
Pesto is currently covered in fluffy-looking brown feathers, making him stand out from the crowd of adult penguins. As a chick, these feathers are there to keep him warm. The soft down traps the air, providing insulation against the cold. The feathers also protect him from wind and moisture, keeping him warm and dry. Staying warm helps penguin chicks to conserve their energy, which is crucial for their growth and development.
Pesto won’t stay like this forever, and when he fledges, these feathers will molt. After that, he will have his own black and white waterproof feathers to match the rest of the penguin colony.
He is nearly ready to fledge, and is expected to lose his fluffy feathers over the next few weeks. When that happens, he will begin to lose some of his baby fat too. It’s expected that his weight will stabilise to around 15kg when he is fully grown.
So, if you’re keen to see Pesto the Penguin in his hilariously chonky state, you should definitely plan a visit to the aquarium soon! There’s daily keeper talks at the Penguin Playground so that you can learn more, and if you’d like to get even closer, you can book a Penguin Passport experience. This 45-minute penguin encounter will take you onto the ice, where you can get closer to the King and Gentoo penguins, see the penguin food preparation and more. You must be over the age of 12 to participate in this experience.