Giant penguins made their home near the equator

A RACE of giant penguins marched to equatorial South America during a time when the world was much warmer than it is now, scientists have discovered.

Researchers were surprised to find fossil remains of the 36 million-year-old extinct penguin, which stood more than 5ft tall, so far south.

Icadyptes salasi, and another smaller species found with it on the south coast of Peru, Perudyptes devriesi, challenge previous conceptions about penguin evolution and expansion.