9 Animal Species That Were Once Bigger Than Humans

9. Penguins

Known more for their resistance to extreme cold weather than for its size, penguins have enjoyed considerable popularity among various cultures across the planet, especially when they've been used as the stars of Christmas ad campaigns. The largest penguin species is the Emperor Penguin, standing up to 48 inches (122cm) tall and weighing up to 45 kilograms (99lbs.). They're the ones that are featured in most pop culture references, including Happy Feet and March of the Penguins: basically, they're the rock stars of their world. In stark contrast, the largest penguin species of all time was the New Zealand Giant Penguin, which measured up to 1.7 meters (5 feet, 7 inches) tall, and weighed up to 90 kilograms (200lbs.). This makes the Emperor Penguin about half the size of its ancestors. If these penguins were still alive, researchers in Antarctica wouldn€™t kneel down to observe curious penguins. When standing up straight, they would almost be staring these enormous penguins straight in the eye. While the smaller penguins might appear cute and their inquisitiveness even cuter, the same might not have been said if the penguins in question were as big as a full-grown man.