PARIS: The fossilised bones of an ancient penguin the size of a pro-wrestler have been discovered in New Zealand, scientists said on Tuesday, dubbing the creature “monster bird”.

With an average height of 5.5 feet and a weight of 100 kilograms, the giant bird is thought to be one of the world’s biggest extinct penguin species, easily dwarfing its cuddly-looking modern descendants.

Its huge frame has earned it the scientific name “kumimanu”, meaning “monster bird” in the Maori language, researchers wrote in the scientific journal Nature Communications.

“It is remarkable that even these early forms reached such an enormous size,” said German paleontologist and study co-author Gerald Mayr.

The bird is thought to have lived 55-60 million years ago, a period known as the late Paleocene.

Mayr and his team discovered the bones in the Otago region on New Zealand’s South Island.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2017