Chonky Australian penguin chick, Pesto, steals Katy Perry and the internet’s hearts

Pesto, a large king penguin chick at Sea Life Melbourne, has become a popular attraction drawing hundreds of visitors to the aquarium. The 9-month-old, 52-pound penguin has captured the attention of U.S. pop star Katy Perry, who expressed a desire to kiss him during her trip to Melbourne. Pesto is the largest chick the aquarium has ever seen, and his fluffy brown fuzz accounts for most of his weight. Like all king penguins, Pesto is non-sexually dimorphic, meaning his gender is not externally distinguishable. A gender reveal event on social media confirmed Pesto as a male, which is exciting as the last king penguins hatched were all female. Pesto’s parents, Tango and Hudson, along with aquarium keepers, care for him by feeding him 25 fish a day. The average parental care for a baby king penguin can last over a year. Pesto’s popularity has garnered a global fan base, with videos of him on TikTok receiving millions of likes. As a unique and large penguin chick, Pesto continues to captivate visitors and fans alike at Sea Life Melbourne.

Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com