Down at the SEA LIFE  Aquarium in Melbourne, Australia, a chunky king penguin hatchling is making waves—quite literally. Meet Pesto, the heaviest penguin ever hatched at the aquarium, who at just nine months old has already outgrown both of his parents combined.

King penguins are the second largest species of penguins after emperor penguins; however, Pesto stands out even among other king penguins as a towering baby giant. Born on January 30, Pesto weighed less than a pound at birth. But in the span of only nine months, Pesto has ballooned to an astonishing 51.8 lbs, far exceeding the average adult weight of his species, which typically ranges from 31 to 37 lbs. Standing at an imposing 90 cm (3 feet), Pesto’s remarkable size can be attributed to “good genes and good parents,” according to the SEA LIFE Aquarium. His biological father, Blake, is the aquarium’s largest and oldest king penguin, while his younger foster parents, Tango and Hudson, are quite the pair of experienced and devoted caretakers.

“Tango and Hudson are seasoned professionals when it comes to raising king penguin chicks,” Michaela Smale, a senior penguin keeper at Sea Life Melbourne, told Global News. “They’re really good at taking turns and putting lots of focus and attention onto baby Pesto.”

Pesto’s rise to fame began when the aquarium hosted a gender reveal party for him and broadcasted it on Tiktok on September 11. Since king penguins are sexually monomorphic—meaning their sex cannot be determined by appearance alone—a blood test was required. After results from the lab returned, it was announced that Pesto was a boy. This was especially exciting news for the aquarium, as its recent penguin chick hatches had all been female. Since then, Pesto’s popularity has skyrocketed, and he has become an internet sensation.

To sustain his rapid growth, Pesto is kept happy and well-fed with over 25 fish a day, double the amount an average adult penguin at the aquarium is offered. Just like adolescents of other species—humans included—Pesto requires extra nourishment during the growing stage to fuel his development. As Pesto matures, he is expected to shed some of his weight as he loses his fluffy brown down in favor of growing in sleek adult feathers. Veterinary examinations have revealed that Pesto has no pathologies and is perfectly healthy, despite his extraordinary size.

“He’s going to start losing that really adorable baby fluff,” Jacinta Early, SEA LIFE Melbourne’s education supervisor, told The Independent. “It might take him one to two months to really get rid of it. Then he’ll be nice and sleek and streamlined.”

Pesto’s fame has led to a surge in visitors at the aquarium, with crowds flocking in daily to catch a glimpse of the massive ball of fluff. Spokeswoman Olivia Wilson told BBC that the aquarium’s official Instagram has been flooded with comments and messages from fans, many enthusiastically sharing that they’re flying to Melbourne just to see Pesto.

As visitors from around the world scramble to meet our not-so-little celebrity, let’s all take a cue from Pesto himself—to keep calm, and waddle on.