Ancient Bird Fossil Found in New Zealand

A fossil of ancient sea birds, which is touted as the oldest in the world, is found in North Canterbury, New Zealand, Wednesday (22/1) local time. According to scientists, these findings indicate New Zealand previously had fused with the Antarctic continent.

The research team and the Canterbury Museum Senckenberg Research Institute estimates that fossil 58 million years old, who lived in the Paleocene. The fossils were named Australornis Lovei by the name of the inventor, Leigh Love, in a deposit in New Zealand. At the same location, the oldest penguin Wainamu also found.

Australornis said to be similar to the two other species in the Cretaceous period (about 70 million years ago) in the Antarctic Peninsula, which strengthens the case ever incorpora Antarctica with New Zealand in the past.

"The new species is important for us to learn more about the evolution of birds. Though there are many other species in the Cretaceous era, most of them do not belong to the category of any bird still alive today," said Doctor Paul Scofield of the Canterbury Museum.

Posted in: news,Tourism