Scientists recently discovered fossils of a 6.6-foot (about 2-meter) penguin that lived in prehistoric Antarctica 34 million years ago, and its prototype was taller than most human males today.
Paleontologists working at the Natural Sciences Museum in La Plata, Argentina, say the fossil remains were discovered in the cold southern continent.
The tallest penguin in the world is 3.11 feet tall and is named the "emperor penguin".
According to researcher Carolina Acosta, "In terms of height and weight, this ancient penguin is the largest penguin ever discovered."
The project’s lead researcher, Marrcelo Reguero, added that the discovery will “make the study of the ancestors of modern penguins more nuanced and complex.”
It is understood that a 5-foot-tall prehistoric penguin fossil discovered in Peru two years ago holds the record for the world's tallest prehistoric penguin and was named "Water King," living 36 million years ago.
The penguin fossil discovered today, like the "King of the Water," lived during the late dinosaur era and the middle period of the modern era.
Unlike other Antarctic birds and their modern descendants, prehistoric penguins lived in tropical regions and plunged into warm seawater, using their 7-inch-long, spear-like beaks to catch fish.
The Argentine research team hopes to discover more fossils of this new species during their next Antarctic expedition. They also hope to collect more anatomical information and study how this giant penguin moved.
Emperor penguins are the largest living penguins in the world.
