Fossilised remains of one of the largest penguins that ever lived, an elegant giant standing 1.3 metres tall, have been found in New Zealand.

The penguin roamed the shores around 27 million years ago, when New Zealand was mostly underwater and consisted of isolated, rocky outcrops that offered protection from predators and plentiful food supplies.

The first traces of the penguin, named Kairuku – Maori for diver who returns with food – was found embedded in a cliff at Waimate in the South Island by University of Otago paleontologist professor Ewan Fordyce in 1977.

Over the years, Prof. Fordyce discovered more complete remains and invited University of North Carolina specialists to help reconstruct the lost giant in 2009.

Now they have determined the bird was much larger than the biggest modern penguin, the Emperor, which grows up to a height of one metre.

“Kairuku was an elegant bird by penguin standards, with a slender body and long flippers, but short, thick legs and feet,” Mr Fordyce said.

He added that the bird’s large size was an adaption that allowed it to swim further and dive deeper than its modern-day counterparts. He was unsure why it became extinct, suggesting climate change or increased predation from dolphins and seals as possible reasons for its demise.

The findings were published in the latest edition of the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.