Detection of giant penguin fossils in New Zealand

On August 14, New Zealand scientists announced the discovery of a giant penguin the size of an adult in New Zealand's South Island.

According to the researchers, the giant penguin fossil found to be 1.6m high, weighs 80kg, is 4 times the mass and 40cm taller than the modern Emperor penguin. Scientists identified the scientific name of this penguin as "crossvallia waiparensis".

The image simulates the giant penguin species, which is about the same height as humans.(Source: rnz.co.nz).

This bird specializes in hunting in the Paleocene coast of New Zealand about 66-56 million years ago.

According to a researcher from the Canterbury Museum, Vanesa De Pietri, this is the second Paleocene giant penguin fossil found in the area mentioned above. She argued that this finding reinforces the scientific hypothesis that penguins are large in the early stages of evolution.

Earlier, scientists speculated that the complete disappearance of giant penguins was due to the emergence of large carnivorous marine animals such as toothed seals and whales.

For a long time, New Zealand is famous for the discovery of an extinct giant bird fossil, including ostrich-like birds as high as 3.6m and an eagle with a wingspan of up to 3m.

Last week, the Canterbury Museum also announced the discovery of a giant parrot fossil up to 1m high and existed 19 million years ago.

• Giant penguins may have lived at the same time as dinosaurs
• Found fossils of ancient birds after dinosaurs extinction