We’re living in the golden age of adorable baby animals, and honestly, it’s everything we could have hoped for.

Adding to the viral Moo Deng craze, we now have Pesto, the chubby baby penguin who’s taking over the internet, especially on TikTok.

Pesto, The New Viral Baby Animal

This little guy – who’s actually not so little – resides at Melbourne’s Sea Life Aquarium in Australia.

Pesto is a nine-month-old king penguin, and in a surprising growth spurt, he went from a mere 200 grams (7 oz) to over 100 times his size, now tipping the scales at 22.5 kilograms (50 lbs).

Compared to his normal-sized parents, he looks adorably comical, making him an instant hit with viewers.

On a steady seafood diet(25 fish a day), the Australian penguin is a bundle of energy. His keepers say he has a bubbly personality, loves to bother the adult penguins, responds to his name, and even greets his keepers when it’s feeding time.  He’s officially the largest chick Sea Life Melbourne has ever seen.

According to the BBC, the big guy has captivated an audience of about 5 billion and seems to have dethroned Moo Deng, the baby hippo who previously stole the internet’s heart.

“People are trading him like Bitcoin, which is unbelievable,” one of his keepers told BBC.

But it’s not about comparing or competing! There’s plenty of room for all the adorable animals on the internet, especially with the constant flood of negative news these days.

Why Is He So Big?

“Firstly, his biological dad, Blake, is our biggest and oldest penguin.  Secondly, he’s had amazing parents raising him!  So, the combination of good genes and good parents explains his current weight, but he will lose a lot of this when he fledges (develops his adult feathers.)”

King penguins are the second-largest penguin species, known for their striking appearance and impressive survival skills in harsh environments. They can grow up to 3 feet (90 cm) tall and weigh around 24-35 pounds (11-16 kg). Unlike Emperor penguins, they prefer slightly warmer, more temperate regions, rather than Antarctica itself. Their diet mainly consists of fish and squid, and they’re capable of diving as deep as 1,000 feet (300 meters) in search of food.

These charming creatures are recognized for their trumpet-like calls, which they use to communicate with their mates and chicks.