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Fossils found in southern New Zealand have brought to light a massive prehistoric penguin species unlike any living today. In a comprehensive analysis by University of Cambridge researchers, scientists identified Killiomi Labori which is a giant penguin that lived along the coastline during the Paleocene epoch around 57 million years ago. Weighing roughly 350 pounds which is equal to 154 kilograms, this enormous bird far surpassed modern emperor penguins in size.Published in the Journal of Paleontology and backed by Cambridge University and New Zealand’s Te Papa Museum, the research sheds new light on penguin evolutionsuggesting the existence of a long-forgotten age when giant and deep-diving seabirds thrived.
57-million-year-old giant penguin fossil unearthed in New Zealand
The fossilized remains of Killiomi Labori were found embedded in beach boulders along the North Otago coast of New Zealand, dating to between 59.5 and 55.5 million years ago, shortly after the mass extinction that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs. An international research team including paleontologist Alan Tennyson and Dr. Daniel Field from the University of Cambridge carried out the excavation and analysis. Using laser scanning technology, they created digital models of the bones to compare this ancient species with modern penguins and other water birds.
Giant penguins emerged sooner than scientists predicted
This finding rewrites the timeline for when penguins began evolving into giants. Killiomi Labori isn’t just the biggest penguin ever discovered but it’s also one of the earliest, dating to just 5 to 10 million years after the first penguins appeared. This suggests that penguins began developing large body sizes far earlier in their evolutionary history than scientists once thought.In addition to Kumimanu, the researchers also identified another new species, Petradyptes stonehousei, which weighed around 50 kilograms which is still much heavier than any modern penguin. The fact that two such massive species lived side by side in the same region highlights the early diversity and ecological success of penguins. It also indicates that these ancient birds were not rare evolutionary outliers but powerful and prominent players in their marine ecosystems.
The benefits behind becoming giant penguins
The enormous size of Kumimanu probably provided multiple evolutionary benefits. Larger penguins were able to dive deeper and remain submerged longer which allowed them to access prey that smaller penguins couldn’t reach. They were likely capable of hunting bigger fish and squid, potentially filling a predatory niche similar to that of small marine mammals.From a thermoregulation standpoint, a bigger body helped retain heat more effectively, an important advantage in the gradually cooling subtropical to temperate waters of the early Paleocene. The name Kumimanu, which means “monster bird” in Māori, describes this impressive creature that must have been a striking presence along New Zealand’s ancient shorelines.Despite their skill in the water, these early penguins still exhibited features inherited from their flying ancestors. Their flipper bones were narrower with muscle attachments similar to those of birds capable of flight, indicating a transitional evolutionary stage. Over time, natural selection would shape their limbs for more efficient swimming, eventually leading to the streamlined, torpedo-shaped bodies seen in today’s penguins.
Why the massive penguins vanished
Giant penguins like KonoiimiIIhiIma thrived for tens of millions of years throughout New Zealand, Antarctica and parts of South America. However, by about 20 million years ago, they disappeared from the fossil record. While the exact reasons remain uncertain, growing evidence suggests that competition with marine mammals played a key role.During this period, seals and toothed whales began spreading across the Southern Hemisphere, competing with penguins for food and breeding sites. Seals, in particular, may have preyed on penguin chicks or displaced adult penguins at important nesting grounds. In contrast, smaller, more agile penguin species managed to survive and adapt, eventually evolving into the 18 penguin species we see today.Also read: Can science revive dead rhinos? The answer may shock you
