Updated:
Weighing 22 kilograms at just 9 months old, Pesto is double the weight of his adoptive parents, Hudson and Tango.
Weighing 22 kilograms at just 9 months old, Pesto is double the weight of his adoptive parents, Hudson and Tango.
With over 1.9 billion views online, Pesto’s charm has captivated fans around the world since his birth last January. His large size is due to the mysteries of genetics but he is expected to slim down once his juvenile phase is over.
Melbourne Aquarium is using Pesto’s success to attract tourists, helping to fund the 25 fish he eats every day.
Pesto’s sex, indistinguishable among king penguins, is now established: he is a male.
The king penguin, the second largest penguin species in the world, is native to the southern hemisphere. Once hunted for its fat and feathers, it is now completely protected from commercial exploitation.
