Pesto the Emperor Penguin: A Fish-Fueled Prophet with a Beak of Destiny
Close your eyes. Or maybe keep them open — you do need to read. But — as you read these words, imagine one simple word: Quintessence. Quintessence is a noun, coming from the latin quinta essentia, which means “fifth essence,” i.e. the fifth element, after the cardinal four: earth, fire, air, and water. The fifth element was theorized by Aristotle, who called it Aether, which is to be a perfect, bright, incorruptible circular energy. It’s what heaven was said to be made of. I have a different definition of the quintessence however — one that is more apt in every way — and I call it Pesto the Emperor Penguin. Bright brown feathers. Perfect, plump downy body. Illuminated beak. Circular head motion when asking for fish. A chirp so perfect, it’s often mistaken by zoo-goers as a choir of angels.
Pesto first blessed the world with his presence on Jan. 30 2024, and gained notability in early September (Pesto’s epiphany to the masses, as the church will surely later call it). By September 23, the Melbourne Aquarium, where he lives, said that Pesto was eating over 25 fish a day! Pesto is well on his way to a life of big-bird stardom and ministry to the masses, sharing his core philosophy of “peace on earth, and fish for all.”
Pesto, and all emperor penguins, are the biggest penguins on the planet, as well as the deepest diving, going up to 600 feet under the Antarctic Ocean to fish. Emperor penguins have relatively small beaks and feet for their size, so that they can stay as warm as possible in the winter, when the temperature can be below -40 degrees Fahrenheit, with up to 124 mile-per-hour wind speeds. Emperor penguins also value teamwork, family, and living in community, as they huddle together for warmth under the Aurora Australis all winter long. If I haven’t convinced you of Pesto’s greatness, go watch “Happy Feet,” which is about Pesto’s cousin, Mumble. When you’re ready to join team Pesto, the emperor penguin party will happily welcome you.
Moo Deng? Woo yay(ng)!
The summer of 2024 birthed many internet sensations. At the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, Chonburi, Thailand, it was a pygmy hippo. Born to Tony and Jonah (née (still) Jonah), Moo Deng has taken the world by storm for her playful nature and fun facial expressions.
Images of Moo Deng began to circulate around the internet, where her name, Moo Deng, was selected by fans. Translating to “Bouncy Pork” in English, Moo Deng is joined by her siblings, Moo Toon, translated to “Stewed Pork” and Moo Waan, translated to “Sweet Pork.”
Moo Deng gained popularity through her blurred, chaotic images where she appears to be screaming at all points in time. These images quickly were swooped up by the meme gods, who decided to make her a relatable icon for disarray.
She recently received the “Video of the Year” Thailand TikTok award. Due to her increasing popularity, security has been put in place for her safety as well. Her popularity helped to gain traction for the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, which has since began to trademark her popularity.
Through this commodification, the impact of Moo Deng extends funding for the zoo. Through the meme circulation, the hippo at just a mere four months old found herself a celebrity that nearly doubled the number of zoo tourists for the 2024 year. This funding helps the zoo continue to better their care for the animals in their realm. What is better than an internet celebrity that helps to create funding for the care for animals that cannot be released into the wild? I’ll wait.
My favorite image of Moo Deng does happen to be her classic frazzled appearance, facing off a bit towards the left, screaming into the abyss as a zookeeper handles her. I think it provides just the right amount of spazz, youthfulness, and an overall poeticness to her perception of life. She truly encapsulates the feelings we all might experience in the coming months. She has other sides, however, as she is a hippo of many characteristics. She has sweet hippo and sleepy hippo, among other hippos. She is the internet sensation that will live on for years to come.
