It was taller than the average man and weighed around 100 kilograms.
The newly discovered Kumimanu Biceae, a giant prehistoric penguin, has got palaeontologists around the world excited. It's believed to be the world's first ever penguin.
Fossil bones believed to be of the world's largest penguin were discovered in Otago, and now new research is shedding light on the exciting find.
But no one is more excited than the scientists who discovered it, here in New Zealand.
"New Zealand is famous for its birds already, and its giant birds. So this puts another feather in New Zealand's cap; we also might have had the largest ever penguin once up on a time," palaeontologist Alan Tennyson said.
Scientists believe these giant prehistoric penguins had vast breeding colonies along the east coast of the South Island.
New research is shedding light on the exciting find.
"This one is unique, there's never been one found like it before. One of the key distinguishing features is its size, it's just so enormous," Dr Tennyson said.
Standing at around two metres tall it would have weighed around 100kg, compared to the emperor penguin which weighs about 23kg.
The colossal penguins had longer, thicker flippers than modern penguins, so were strong swimmers.
The fossil bones were discovered on a beach not far from Otago's Moeraki boulders in 2004.
The fossils sat on a shelf for several years and when they were re-examined palaeontologists realised how exciting the find was.
Kumimanu means "monster bird" in Māori.
A display of the fossils and a life-size comparison, will go on display at Te Papa in the new year.
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