Pesto the Penguin Is Losing His Baby Feathers: See the Video of the Viral Chick’s New Look
Pesto the penguin has taken the internet by storm, and now he's entering his 'teenage' era
Pesto, the penguin, a viral 50-pound king penguin chick, has become an online sensation with over 1.9 billion views across social media. What has fans so tuned in? Pesto’s incredible size, which for some time masked his gender. Fans around the world waited for the momentous occasion when Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium revealed Pesto’s gender via Facebook, answering a burning question: Is Pesto male or female?
What is Pesto the Penguin’s gender?
Pesto was officially named as a male during the exciting gender reveal. Since the gender of king penguins can’t be determined just by looking at the animal, Sea Life staff sent out for a blood test to determine if Pesto was male or female.
Because of Pesto’s viral fame, the Sea Life team upped the ante of their usual gender reveal celebrations—which included colored cupcakes—to give the penguin his own reveal broadcast on social media.
Why is Pesto the penguin famous?
Pesto quickly stood out not just for his adorable waddling but for his impressive size. Coming in at 50 pounds and about three feet tall at just 9 months old, Pesto was the largest penguin chick at Sea Life Aquarium in Melbourne, Australia, even bigger than many adult penguins in the aquarium’s colony.
Pesto’s online followers are fans not only of his towering physique compared to other penguins in his pen but also his fuzzy feathers which he has, sadly, begun to lose as of publication. In fact, fans have kept up with Pesto as he molts, with many positing that the chick is entering his “teenage” era.
@jennysheep Pesto has a new vesto 🐧 #pestothepenguin #pesto #sealife #fyp
In addition to already being taller than his parents, Pesto’s appetite as a chick was another point of fascination. He regularly ate twice as much as the average adult penguin, polishing off over 30 fish per day. His large stature and insatiable hunger are partly thanks to his father, who holds the title of the largest and oldest penguin at Sea Life Melbourne.
Endless videos and photo footage of Pesto—often showing his impressive size and rapid growth—can be found online thanks to aquarium goers. A particularly popular video contrasts his tiny self from just nine months ago with his current towering form, capturing the attention (and hearts) of viewers worldwide.
Pesto and other viral animals
Pesto’s viral fame puts him in good company with other popular animal sensations online—an ever-increasing trend that offers an enduring corner of the internet. One such star is Moo Deng—a pygmy hippopotamus from Thailand—who has also taken the internet by storm thanks to her adorable antics and unique appearance.
Moo Deng’s popularity became so intense that the Khao Kheow Open Zoo where she resides had to limit visits to five minutes on weekends to manage the overwhelming number of fans waiting to meet her. Online, spectators have even imagined what it would be like if Moo Deng and Pesto met, with some even creating posts and videos of the hippo and penguin set to the internet’s trendiest sounds.
The rise of animal popularity—embodied by Pesto and Moo Deng–reflects just how much people across the world love seeing and learning about unique animals. Whether it’s a penguin check that’s captured hearts or a tiny hippo that is too cute to be true, these animals are making a positive impact in the world of viral videos.
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