Huge Australian king penguin chick Pesto grows into social media star

Pesto, right, a huge king penguin chick who weighs as much as both his parents combined, mingles in his enclosure at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, and has become a social media celebrity and a star attraction at the aquarium. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk)

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 here.

Weighing 22kg at nine months old, Pesto is the heaviest penguin chick the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium has ever had, its education supervisor Jacinta Early said on Friday.