Pesto, at just 9 months old, has become the center of attention with a height of 90 cm and a weight of 22.5 kg, larger than both of its parents at the SEA LIFE Melbourne aquarium.
The young penguin Pesto is larger than even the adults, including its parents. (Photo: SEA LIFE Melbourne).
This king penguin species is covered in a brown down when born, which is quite different from the black and white appearance of the adults that many are familiar with. As they learn to swim, a molting process occurs, known as feathering, which replaces the down with a waterproof layer of feathers.
Another interesting fact is that penguins have gender differences that are not visible to the naked eye. To determine their sex, caregivers must take a drop of blood from their toe and analyze the DNA, which then provides an accurate answer regarding the penguin’s gender.
The SEA LIFE’s Instagram account boasts over 25,000 followers. Pesto’s father, Blake, is one of the oldest and largest penguins at this aquarium. Pesto is fed more than 30 fish a day—double the amount of an average adult penguin.
Since Pesto is still young, its parents provide it with extra food. This increased feeding results in a lot of waste; they defecate approximately every 15 minutes, requiring the caretakers to continuously clean to maintain a tidy environment for visiting guests.
