Pesto the penguin chick undergoes molting, experiences 'awkward teen' phase on social media.

Pesto, the 49-pound baby penguin at SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium, has become an internet sensation with his "full body Mohawk" look. His impressive size has stunned the world, as he weighs more than both his parents combined. Pesto, who was born earlier this year, has taken the internet by storm with his 25 fish per day diet. His molt is expected this time of year, as king penguin chicks molt just in time to learn how to swim for the summer. The progression of Pesto's molt is always fun to see, as it slightly changes depending on the individual.

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

Pesto's molting has caused the internet to suffer, as many social media users express their disappointment that the big chick is growing up too quickly.

Pesto, a TikTok user with the handle @danalamb, has gained over 2 million likes for a viral video he shared on the platform. The caption of the video is "Pesto is growing up," accompanied by a crying emoji. Meanwhile, one user has written on social media that they need five to seven business days to emotionally recover from a situation. According to SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium, Pesto has amassed over 2 billion views worldwide from his content creation. The aquarium is unsure when Pesto will complete his molt and become an adult, as well as what his weight will be at the end of the process. The first molt of a king penguin is considered an important milestone in their life, marking their transition to forage for their own food and leave the colony.