A 12-year-old giraffe named Forest – a Queensland Australia Zoo resident – has been reported to be the world’s tallest giraffe, standing at 5.7 m.
Measuring Forest was in itself a small feat, Kat Hansen, its keeper, said.
“It took us a number of months to be able to do it,” she told ABC.
Staff had to build a specially shaped measuring pole and install it in the giraffe house near a hay dispenser, coaxing the animal to stand up nice and straight with the promise of milk – all while the cameras were rolling.
Adult males, or bulls, are usually between 4.6 and 5.5 m in length, with Forest standing 20 cm above the rest.
Forest was born in 2007 at Auckland Zoo in New Zealand and moved to his new home at the tender age of two.
Meet Forest, the world's tallest giraffe who lives at @AustraliaZoo 🦒https://t.co/Veu2JH0vGk
— GuinnessWorldRecords (@GWR) July 31, 2020
The entire Australia Zoo family – led by the Irwins, animal-loving conservationists – couldn’t be more proud of Forest ‘s achievement.
Bindi Irwin – who holds her own Guinness World Record on Instagram for the most fans for a tv naturalist – could not be more proud that Forest joined her as part of the Guinness World Records team.
“Our sweetheart Forest has officially made it into the Guinness World Records[books] for being the tallest living giraffe! We are proud of our towering guy, he has such a wonderful heart.”
She added: “Giraffes are doing it tough in the wild, and we’re so proud that we can do our part in ensuring this species is around for the generations to come.”