Scientists recently discovered the fossil of a 6.6-foot-tall (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, said the fossil remains were found in the icy southern continent.
Currently, the tallest penguin in the world is 3.11 feet tall and is named "emperor penguins".
According to researcher Carolina Acosta: "In terms of height and weight, the ancient penguin discovered this time is the largest penguin discovered so far."
Marrcelo Reguero, the lead researcher on the project, added that the discovery will "make the study of the ancestors of modern penguins more detailed 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". It lived 36 million years ago. forward.
The prototype of the penguin fossil discovered today is the same as the "King of the Water", living in the middle period between the end of the dinosaur age and the modern era.
But unlike other Antarctic birds and their modern descendants, prehistoric penguins lived in the tropics and plunged into warm waters to catch fish using their seven-inch spear-like bills.
The Argentine research team looks forward to discovering more fossils of this new species during the next Antarctic expedition. They also hope to gather more anatomical information and study the way the giant penguin moves.
Emperor penguins are the largest living penguins in the world
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