Giant Penguin Fossils Found In Peru (broadcast Friday, June 29th, 2007)

Skull of the giant ancient penguin species Icadyptes salasi. A skull from a present-day Peruvian penguin, Spheniscus humbolti, is shown for scale. Photo courtesy Daniel Ksepka.

Researchers have found fossils of two species of penguins that once inhabited the area around Peru during the middle and late Eocene period. One, Perudyptes devriesi, would rank with the present-day king penguin in terms of size. The other ancient penguin, however, named Icadyptes salasi, stood over five feet tall and wielded a seven-inch beak. We'll talk with one of the researchers about the two species, reported this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.