Meet Pesto, the full-figured king penguin who resides in an Australian aquarium.
The flightless bird has become a social media superstar thanks to his extreme chonkiness, currently weighing in at close to 52 pounds.
In late January, caretakers at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium were delighted when a king penguin chick was born, as he was the first king penguin successfully hatched in the past two years.
Pesto with a colony of king penguins waddling around the aquarium. AP Earlier this month, the facility held a gender-reveal party for Pesto. Kit Photography/Sea Life Melbourne
But three months later, the chick was already 20 pounds, and he’s continued his weight-gain journey — and then some.
Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium confirmed to The Post his weight as of Wednesday is 23.5 kg or 51.8 pounds.
Pesto maintains his generous figure by gobbling down up to 30 fish daily.
He has been on display at the aquarium since April, but his fan base exploded when the aquarium threw him a special party.
Pesto and his adoptive parents, Hudson and Tango. Kit Haselden/Sea Life Melbourne
Earlier this month, the facility held a gender-reveal party as Pesto, like all king penguins, is not sexually dimorphic — you can’t visibly differentiate males and females. The only way to confirm gender is to take a blood sample.
Caretakers believe Pesto’s size is due to his impressive appetite and good genes. His biological father, Blake, weighs in at around 39 pounds.
However, Pesto is being raised by a younger couple, Tango and Hudson, who weigh about 24 pounds each.
Pesto, like all king penguins, is not sexually dimorphic, meaning he does not display any traits that differ from female penguins. The only way to confirm gender is to take a blood sample. Kit Photography/Sea Life Melbourne Pesto is double the weight of his parents, and the largest chick Sea Life Melbourne has ever had. AP
The stark difference between Tango and Hudson’s stature and their hefty adopted ward has delighted followers worldwide.
“He eclipses them now, which also makes him look comically large,” Melbourne aquarist Jacinta Early told the BBC .
TikTok videos and memes have celebrated Pesto’s girth and racked up millions of likes.
Pesto with senior penguin keeper Michaela Smale, who has cared for Pesto since hatching. Kit Photography/Sea Life Melbourne Pesto was born in January at only 200g, which is under a half-pound. Kit Haselden/Sea Life Melbourne
One TikTok video, which featured aquarium staff members dancing up a storm to a Katy Perry tune behind a seemingly disinterested Pesto, has garnered more than 4 million views.
Another video features Pesto waddling behind one of the other more diminutive penguins, with the caption “Our chonky King workin’ it.”
Pesto is a social media star for the aquarium. Kit Haselden/Sea Life Melbourne Pesto currently enjoys 25 fish a day as his regular diet. Sea Life Melbourne/AFP via Getty Images
He is currently covered in soft brown down but will eventually lose his baby feathers, which will be replaced by the familiar black, white and orange plumage.
Pesto is expected to shed some puppy fat as he matures and as an adult will probably weigh in at a still-impressive 33 pounds.
According to the American Bird Conservancy, king penguins are the second-largest penguin species in the world, behind the emperor penguin.
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