The fossilised remains of a huge\u00a0penguin\u00a0almost the size of an adult human have been found in New Zealand’s South Island, scientists announced Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The giant waddling sea bird stood 1.6 metres (63 inches) high and weighed 80 kilograms, about four times heavier and 40cm taller than the modern Emperor\u00a0penguin, researchers said.<\/p>\n
Named "crossvallia waiparensis", it hunted off New Zealand’s coast in the Paleocene era, 66-56 million years ago.<\/p>\n
An amateur fossil hunter found leg bones belonging to the bird last year and it was confirmed as a new species in research published this week in "Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology".<\/p>\n
Canterbury Museum researcher Vanesa De Pietri said it was the second giant\u00a0penguin\u00a0from the Paleocene era found in the area.<\/p>\n
"It further reinforces our theory that\u00a0penguins\u00a0attained great size early in their evolution," she said.<\/p>\n
Scientists have previously speculated that the mega-penguins\u00a0eventually died out due to the emergence of other large marine predators such as seals and toothed whales.<\/p>\n
New Zealand is well known for its extinct giant birds, including the flightless moa, which was up to 3.6-metres tall, and Haast’s eagle, which had a wingspan of three metres.<\/p>\n
Just last week, Canterbury Museum announced the discovery of a prodigious parrot that was one metre tall and lived about 19 million years ago.<\/p>\n