Huge Australian king penguin chick Pesto grows into social media star
A huge king penguin chick named Pesto, who weighs as much as both his parents combined, has become a social media celebrity and a star attraction at an Australian aquarium
By ROD McGUIRK
Published - Sep 20, 2024, 07:22 AM ET
Last Updated - Dec 16, 2024, 07:03 PM EST
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A huge king penguin chick named Pesto, who weighs as much as both his parents combined, has become a social media celebrity and a star attraction at an Australian aquarium.
Weighing 22 kilograms (49 pounds) at 9 months old, Pesto is the heaviest penguin chick the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium has ever had, its education supervisor Jacinta Early said on Friday.
By contrast, his doting parents, Hudson and Tango weigh 11 kilograms (24 pounds) each.
Pesto’s global fame has grown with his size. More than 1.9 billion people around the world had viewed him through social media, an aquarium statement said.
