Abubakar Tahiru: Ghanaian environmental activist sets world record by hugging 1,123 trees in an hour

Ghanaian environmental activist Abubakar Tahiru, 29, set a new Guinness World Record during the Ramadan season, hugging 1,123 trees in one hour at Tuskegee National Forest in Alabama, USA.

The average of nearly 19 hugs per minute surpassed the previous record of 700 trees hugged in an hour.

Tahiru, who grew up in Tepa, a farming community in Ghana’s Ashanti region, where he developed a passion for nature conservation, is pursuing his master's degree in forestry at Auburn University.

He chose to attempt the tree-hugging record at Tuskegee National Forest due to its abundance of trees.

For the record to count, Tahiru had to fully wrap his arms around each tree in an embrace without harming the trees.

He could not hug any tree more than once. The repetitive motion and quick pace between trees posed physical challenges.

Making it even more difficult, Tahiru was fasting for Ramadan and could not drink water during the high-effort attempt.

"Not being able to drink water throughout the attempt posed a significant challenge, especially given the physical exertion required," Tahiru said as quoted by the website of Guinness World Record on Friday, April 26.

“However, this also proved to be helpful in a way, as there was no need to pause for water breaks, allowing me to continue the attempt uninterrupted from start to finish,” he added.

Hugging approximately one tree every three seconds, Tahiru managed to surpass the minimum of 700 hugs in just one hour.

“Achieving this world record feels incredibly rewarding. It's a meaningful gesture to highlight the crucial role of trees in our ecosystem and the urgency of environmental conservation," he said.

Going forward, Tahiru hopes to use his accomplishments to inspire youth in Ghana and work with organizations to promote sustainable environmental projects, especially in less privileged communities similar to where he grew up.