Move Over Moo Deng, There’s A New Viral Animal On My FYP — And He’s Even Chonkier

Do you know how I know the world is in complete and utter shambles? Because we’ve moved into the stage where we’re clinging onto random, viral zoo animals to fill the void in our lives. I’m sorry but the collective fawning over a baby pygmy hippo in Thailand? We’re all deeply depressed. And you know what really confirms it? We’ve made yet another virtual zoo pal, and this time, it’s an unsuspecting penguin in Melbourne — it’s Pesto the Penguin.

Who Is Pesto The Penguin?

Pesto the Penguin is basically the Beyoncé of Sea Life Melbourne — except chunkier. At just under nine months old, this baby king penguin has taken the internet (and the scales) by storm. Weighing in at almost 50 pounds, Pesto is officially the largest penguin chick the aquarium has ever seen. To put that in perspective, his foster penguin parents each weigh a modest 24 pounds. Yeah, Pesto’s practically double their size, and it’s all thanks to his insatiable appetite and stellar genes.

The little (or not-so-little) guy gets his love of food from his biological dad, Blake, who’s the biggest and oldest penguin at the aquarium. And if you’re wondering just how much fish a penguin needs to grow this big, Pesto’s been chowing down on 25 to 32 fish per day across four hearty feeds. That’s about double what your average king penguin eats, but no one’s worried — he’s just a growing boy.

As cute as he is now, Pesto’s on the verge of some big changes. The aquarium expects him to start slimming down as he loses his baby feathers and starts developing his adult plumage. While no one knows exactly how much weight he’ll shed, it’s predicted that post-fledge, Pesto will weigh in closer to the typical range for an adult king penguin (which is anywhere from 20 to almost 40 pounds).

For now, though, fans are obsessed with his adorably oversized look. Sea Life Melbourne’s social media has exploded with penguin content, and Pesto’s page is the most popular on its site. With over 4.2 billion views and counting, this chunky guy has amassed a loyal fanbase — complete with makeup tutorials inspired by his penguin cuteness and comments comparing him to three baby penguins stacked in a trench coat.

But like all good things in our lives these days, there is an expiration date. So, if you want to catch Pesto while he’s still the chunkiest penguin around, I’d suggest you do it sooner rather than later.