Social media sensation Pesto the penguin chick begins molting baby feathers, enters ‘awkward teen’ phase

A viral internet sensation has debuted a brand-new look for his adoring fans to admire the world over.

Pesto the king Penguin chick at SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium has begun molting his fluffy baby feathers, sporting what handlers have dubbed a “full body Mohawk.”

The young penguin has stunned the world with his impressive size, weighing 49 pounds, which is more than both his parents combined. His parents, Hudson and Tango, each weigh 24 pounds.

MEET PESTO, THE 49-POUND BABY PENGUIN GOING VIRAL ONLINE

Pesto was born earlier this year on January 31 and has since taken the internet by storm with his 25 fish per day diet.

“Pesto’s molt is expected this time of year,” said Jacinta Early, Education Supervisor with SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium to Fox News Digital. “King penguin chicks molt just in time to learn how to swim for the summer! It’s always fun to see the progression as it slightly changes depending on the individual.” 

Pesto the penguin has begun his molting, giving the look of a “feather boa” according to staff at SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium. (Courtesy of SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium)

“Pesto has had a sweet wizard cloak, a bald patch, a feather boa style and the last I saw it looked like a full body Mohawk. I like to call it their awkward teen phase while they’re trying to figure out who they are as they approach adulthood,” added Early.

When a penguin chick molts, its fluffy brown feathers are shed to reveal waterproof ones that are more sleek to the skin. king Penguin chicks first molting is expected around 10 months of age and the process can last up to 6 weeks.

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The molting process takes up a lot of energy, so King Penguin chicks rely on stored fat and often lose weight while their feathers are replaced. Oftentimes, penguin parents also reduce feeding for their chicks during the molting stage.

The internet has taken a hit from Pesto’s molting, with many users on social media lamenting how the big chick is becoming a big adult penguin too quickly for their liking.

A side view of Pesto the penguin’s current molting process, which has been compared to a “full body Mohawk.” (Courtesy of SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium)

One viral video shared on TikTok by user @danalamb has over 2 million likes and is captioned, “Pesto is growing up,” with a crying emoji.

“Nobody speak to me for five to seven business days I need to emotionally recover,” wrote one user.

According to SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium, Pesto has amassed over 2 billion views worldwide from his content creation.

It is unclear when Pesto will complete his molt and officially become an adult, as well as what his weight will be at the end of the process.

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A king penguin’s first molt is “an important milestone” in the aquatic bird’s life, marking their transition to ultimately forage for their own food and leave the colony.