Scientists discover skeleton of 'human-sized' penguin which stood nearly six FEET tall

The remains of ancient penguins that stood at the same height as adult humans have been discovered in New Zealand.

The skeleton of the Palaeocene penguin was discovered recently by palaeontologists, and the findings have now been revealed in scientific journal Nature Communications.

The fossilised partial skeleton is estimated to be between 59.5 million and 55 million years old and would have stood at 5ft10 inches. The animal it belongs to is believed to have been 223 pounds in weight.

The statuesque fossil is a good deal loftier the modern emperor penguin, which weighs 88 pounds and is a little over 4 feet tall.

The species, which has been named Kumimanu biceae, was discovered by a team of noted palaeontologists including Gerard Mayr – who was previously responsible for the discovery of the oldest fossilised hummingbirds in Europe.

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Mayr also explained that the penguin would have had a longer beak than the modern species and would have also lived in a subtropical climate.

Speaking to CNN, ancient penguin expert Professor R.Ewan Fordyce said: ‘The exciting thing about this find is that it suggests these penguins were living not long after the extinction of the dinosaur, and it should tell us more about the animal’s overall evolutionary history.

“Now, they look like funny little gentlemen in tuxedos, but in this case, they were big gentlemen.

“In short, penguins have always been cool.”