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

A viral net sensation has debuted a brand-new look for his adoring fans to respect the satellite over.

Pesto the king Penguin chick astatine SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium has begun molting his fluffy babe feathers, sporting what handlers person dubbed a "full assemblage Mohawk."

The young penguin has stunned the satellite with his awesome size, weighing 49 pounds, which is much than some his parents combined. His parents, Hudson and Tango, each measurement 24 pounds.

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

Pesto was calved earlier this twelvemonth connected January 31 and has since taken the net by tempest with his 25 food per time diet.

"Pesto's molt is expected this clip of year," said Jacinta Early, Education Supervisor with SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium to Fox News Digital. "King penguin chicks molt conscionable successful clip to larn however to aquatics for the summer! It's ever amusive to spot the progression arsenic it somewhat changes depending connected the individual." 

Pesto the penguin has begun his molting, giving the look of a "feather boa" according to unit astatine SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium. (Courtesy of SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium)

"Pesto has had a saccharine wizard cloak, a bald patch, a feather boa benignant and the past I saw it looked similar a afloat assemblage Mohawk. I similar to telephone it their awkward teen signifier portion they're trying to fig retired who they are arsenic they attack adulthood," added Early.

When a penguin chick molts, its fluffy brownish feathers are shed to uncover waterproof ones that are much sleek to the skin. king Penguin chicks archetypal molting is expected astir 10 months of property and the process tin past up to 6 weeks.

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The molting process takes up a batch of energy, truthful King Penguin chicks trust connected stored abdominous and often suffer value portion their feathers are replaced. Oftentimes, penguin parents besides trim feeding for their chicks during the molting stage.

The internet has taken a deed from Pesto's molting, with galore users connected societal media lamenting however the large chick is becoming a large big penguin excessively rapidly for their liking.

A broadside presumption of Pesto the penguin's existent molting process, which has been compared to a "full assemblage Mohawk." (Courtesy of SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium)

One viral video shared connected TikTok by idiosyncratic @danalamb has implicit 2 cardinal likes and is captioned, "Pesto is increasing up," with a crying emoji.

"Nobody talk to maine for 5 to 7 concern days I request to emotionally recover," wrote 1 user.

According to SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium, Pesto has amassed implicit 2 cardinal views worldwide from his contented creation.

It is unclear erstwhile Pesto volition implicit his molt and officially go an adult, arsenic good arsenic what his value volition beryllium astatine the extremity of the process.

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A king penguin's archetypal molt is "an important milestone" successful the aquatic bird's life, marking their modulation to yet forage for their ain nutrient and permission the colony.