Argentine experts from the Natural Sciences Museum of La Plata find giant penguin fossils in Antarctica

Previous finds from prehistoric penguins indicated they did not sport the iconic black and white 

feathers the birds are known for today, but had reddish-brown and gray plumage. Photo: Natural 

Sciences Museum of La Plata.

BUENOS AIRES (AFP).- Argentine experts have discovered the fossils of a two-meter (6.5 foot) tall 

penguin that lived in Antarctica 34 million years ago.

Paleontologists with the Natural Sciences Museum of La Plata province, where the capital Buenos 

Aires is located, said the remains were found on the icy southern continent.

"This is the largest penguin known to date in terms of height and body mass," said researcher Carolina 

Acosta, who noted that the record had been held by emperor penguins, which reach heights of 1.2 

meters (4 feet) tall.

Lead researcher Marcelo Reguero added that the find, announced Tuesday, will "allow for a more 

intensive and complex study of the ancestors of modern penguins."

In its next expedition to Antarctica, during the region's summer, the team will seek additional fossils 

of the newly discovered species, as well as information about its anatomy and how the giant penguin 

might have moved.

Previous finds from prehistoric penguins indicated they did not sport the iconic black and white 

feathers the birds are known for today, but had reddish-brown and gray plumage.

source