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Prehistoric Penguins
 Prehistoric Giant Penguins
Penguins have been around for some 50-60 million years and like other prehistoric creatures many were much bigger than their modern counterparts.
The first prehistoric penguin fossil was found in New Zealand in 1849 and is in the Natural History Museum in London. Since then fossils of many other extinct species have been found, in Antarctica, South America, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Most were about the same size as present day penguins but some were huge.
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Amazing Giant Penguin Fossils
 The first giant fossil in Antarctica was discovered by Dr Otto Nordenskjold, a 32-year-old Swedish geologist. His 1902-3 expedition was organized in conjunction with expeditions from Britain and Germany and he chose Snow Hill Island for his camp because of the fossils he found on the beach there. On nearby Seymour Island he found the fossil remains of a penguin 1.5 metres (5ft) in height. Subsequently, fossils of penguins 2m (over 6ft) and over135 kg have been discovered and research continues. Seymour Island has a range of rocks dating from 120 million to 40 million years old.Giant penguins were in the Southern Ocean in the Eocene Period, the second lowest part of the Tertiary Period, 37-45 million years ago. |
Giant Penguin Territory
 | Seymour Island was discovered in 1843 by Capt James Clark Ross and named after British Rear Admiral George Seymour. At that time it wasn’t known if Snow Hill Island was a separate island so he just called it Snow Hill.
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Nordenskjold's Hut
 | | We climbed Snow Hill in 1989/90 to look down on Nordenskjolds Hut. It was more like Mud Hill to me as we struggled to climb on the spongy mucky surface. Some of the heavy chaps sank right down to their hips and had great trouble getting out. Lighter people like me could just about walk on the surface without sinking too far. In the centre of the picture you can just make out the hut. |
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