王企鵝佩斯託的蛻皮之旅：從可愛的小企鵝到防水的成年企鵝

Pesto 是一隻可愛的巨型國王企鵝幼崽，自 2024 年 1 月在澳洲墨爾本海洋生物水族館誕生以來，它一直成為人類的頭條新聞。

Pesto, the King penguin chick who stole our hearts with his size and charm, has entered an exciting new phase of his life – molting. Here's the latest on Pesto's journey and what molting means for his future.

帝企鵝小雞 Pesto 以其體型和魅力俘獲了我們的心，現在它已經進入了生命中令人興奮的新階段——蛻皮。以下是佩斯託的最新旅程以及蛻皮對他的未來意味著什麼。

The Molting Process

蛻皮過程

Molting is a natural occurrence for penguins, where they shed their old feathers and grow new ones. This process usually happens once a year for all penguin species and takes about two to three weeks to complete (1, 2). For Pesto, who started molting in late October 2024, this means transforming from his downy juvenile feathers to sleek, waterproof adult plumage.

蛻皮是企鵝的自然現象，它們會脫落舊羽毛並長出新羽毛。對於所有企鵝物種，此過程通常每年發生一次，大約需要兩到三週才能完成 (1, 2)。對於 2024 年 10 月下旬開始換毛的佩斯託來說，這意味著從柔軟的幼年羽毛轉變為光滑、防水的成年羽毛。

Pesto's Incredible Size and Development

香蒜醬令人難以置信的大小和發展

Pesto's extraordinary size has been a point of interest since his birth. Weighing less than half a pound at birth, he quickly grew to 50 pounds, making him the largest King penguin chick ever at the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium (1, 3). His size is credited to a combination of his parents' genetics and excellent care from his foster parents, Tango and Hudson.

自出生以來，香蒜醬非凡的體型就一直是人們關注的焦點。他出生時體重不到半磅，但很快就長到了 50 磅，成為墨爾本海洋生物水族館有史以來最大的王企鵝雛鳥 (1, 3)。他的體型歸功於父母的遺傳基因以及養父母探戈和哈德森的精心照顧。

As Pesto molts, his appearance is changing significantly. His once-fluffy chocolate-brown feathers are falling out, revealing black and white adult feathers underneath. The marine park has described this process as going "from fluffy chick to scruffy chic" (2). Eventually, Pesto will resemble other adult King penguins, with an orange snood patch on the sides of his bill, a feature that will develop as he reaches sexual maturity.

隨著 Pesto 蛻皮，他的外觀正在發生顯著變化。它曾經蓬鬆的巧克力棕色羽毛正在脫落，露出底下的黑白成年羽毛。海洋公園將這個過程描述為「從毛茸茸的小雞到邋遢的別緻」(2)。最終，佩斯托將像其他成年王企鵝一樣，在它的嘴兩側有一個橙色的圍脖補丁，這一特徵將隨著它性成熟而發展。

Molting's Impact on Pesto's Future

蛻皮對香蒜醬未來的影響

The molting process is a critical stage in Pesto's journey. Once he completes this phase, he will be largely protected from the harsh sub-Antarctic elements, thanks to his new waterproofed feathers. While this adaptation may be less crucial in captivity, it marks an important step in Pesto's development. His new feathers will also enable him to swim with the other penguins at the aquarium, a skill he will master soon.

蛻皮過程是 Pesto 旅程中的關鍵階段。一旦他完成這個階段，由於他的新防水羽毛，他將在很大程度上受到保護，免受惡劣的亞南極元素的影響。雖然這種適應在圈養條件下可能不太重要，但它標誌著香蒜醬發展的重要一步。他的新羽毛還將使他能夠與水族館的其他企鵝一起游泳，他很快就會掌握這項技能。

Conclusion and Call to Action

結論和號召性用語

Pesto's story is a charming example of the natural growth and development of King penguins. As he continues to captivate audiences worldwide, his journey offers an educational opportunity to learn about these magnificent birds. If you're interested in seeing Pesto up close, he is currently on display at the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium. You can also follow his adventures on social media and purchase Pesto-themed merchandise to support his home at the aquarium (4).

佩斯託的故事是國王企鵝自然成長和發展的迷人例子。隨著他繼續吸引世界各地的觀眾，他的旅程提供了一個了解這些宏偉鳥類的教育機會。如果您有興趣近距離觀察香蒜醬，目前它正在墨爾本海洋生物水族館展出。您也可以在社群媒體上關注他的冒險經歷，並購買香蒜醬主題商品來支持他在水族館的家 (4)。

Keywords: Pesto the Penguin, King Penguin, Molting, Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, Penguin Development

關鍵字：佩斯托企鵝、國王企鵝、蛻皮、墨爾本海洋生物水族館、企鵝發展