Reviewed by: Pat Byington
Auburn student hugs 1100+ trees to set new Guinness World Record
Reading time: 3 minutes
There seems to be a world record for everything nowadays and while some may seem a little strange, there’s often a reason behind each one.
Auburn graduate student Abubakar Tahiru put his love and passion for conservation and nature on full display to set a tree-hugging world record while in the Tuskegee National Forest. Tahiru hugged 1,123 trees in an hour with Guinness World Records in attendance to officially put his name in the record books.
Keep reading to find out more about how Tahiru accomplished the feat + watch some highlights from the record-setting accomplishment.
The tree-hugging world record
Tahiru is a native of Tepa, Ghana, but he chose to move to the U.S. when he decided to pursue a master’s degree at Auburn. He is a grad student in the Auburn University College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment (CFWE).
So he does plenty of work around trees and in nature but this world record may have been more about physical endurance than smarts or mental strength.
The record attempt was judged by Guinness World Records, who set the guidelines for a hug to count towards the goal. The rule was that both arms must wrap around the tree’s trunk, closing the embrace. An exception to awarding one tree hug is that Tahiru could not harm the tree in anyway, or the entire attempt would not count.
According to the university, Tahiru was also fasting for Ramadan while he attempted the record meaning he could not even drink any water while running from tree to tree. He still finished with 1,123 trees hugged, averaging 19 trees per minute + one hug every three seconds.
“Tahiru’s gesture of performing this feat was not only to hold a new world record but also to highlight the important role of trees in our ecosystems. The new world record holder says that he will continue studying forestry with a focus on sustainable forest management practices through collaboration during his time at the CFWE.”
~ Auburn University
According to Guinness, Tahiru said the hardest part of the record attempt was having to move quickly between trees while ensuring that each hug met the required standards. He also found the repetitive hugging motion to be quite tiring.
After setting the world record, he plans to deepen his involvement in forestry by developing sustainable practices and collaborating with environmental organizations to promote sustainable projects.
What type of world record do you think you could set? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn!
