From a 7-foot-tall Great Dane to a slam-dunking rabbit with sᴇʀɪᴏᴜs basketball abilities, there’s a long list of animals that have set world records, either for their remarkable physical traits or for doing unusual hobbies like riding bicycles or jumping rope. Guinness Global Records, which bills itself as the authority on all world records, tracks not just human accomplishments but also those of animals, ranging from household pets like cats and dogs to wild species like crocodiles and pandas. Continue reading to find out about 17 animals who have held or are presently holding world records.
Jonathan, a 187-year-old tortoise, has become the world’s oldest-known live land animal.
Jonathan the tortoise has seen everything. Jonathan will reach 187 years old this year, according to Guinness World Records, making him the oldest-known land mammal living. According to Guinness World Records, he was born in 1832 and lived through both World Wars, the completion of the Eiffel Tower, and the first powered flight.
Bini, a bunny, set a record for the most basketball slam dunks by a rabbit in one minute.
Bini, a bunny, holds the Guinness World Record for the most basketball slam dunks by a rabbit in one minute. In the 60-second time limit, the Holland Lop rabbit made seven slam dunks. Bini established the world record in 2016.
A cat called Barivel is the world’s longest domestic cat, measuring more than 3 feet, 11 inches.
Barivel, a Maine Coon cat, is the world’s longest (living) domestic cat at 3 feet, 11.2 inches. Barivel resides in Viegevano, Pavia, Italy, with his owner. In 2018, Barivel set the record.
Blosom, a cow, was the tallest in the world, at more than 6 feet tall.
Blosom stood 74.8 inches tall, or 6.23 feet. Blosom, who belonged to Patricia Meads-Hanson of Orangᴇᴠɪʟle, Illinois, .d.i.e.d in May 2015 at the age of 13, according to Guinness World Records. Blosom established the world record in May of 2014.
Norman, a dog, was the fastest canine to travel 30 meters (98.4 feet) on a bicycle and a scooter.
Norman, a Briard dog, has two world records for his two-wheel driving abilities. Norman was the fastest dog to traverse 30 meters (98.4 feet) on a scooter and bicycle. Norman achieved a scooter time of 20.77 seconds in July 2013, and a cycling time of slightly over 55 seconds in 2014. According to the Guinness World Records report, Norman was diagnosed with ʟʏᴍᴘʜᴏᴍᴀ in 2017. Since then, the world record-ʙʀᴇᴀᴋing canine has gained a sizable fan base on Facebook, where followers follow his ᴛʀᴇᴀᴛᴍᴇɴᴛ process – as well as his latest feats.
Poncho Via, a longhorn with gigantic horns, set two world records: the widest horn spread on a live steer and the largest horn on a living steer.
Poncho Via, a Texas longhorn from Alabama, with huge horns that extend 10 feet, 7.4 inches. According to Guinness World Records, that’s more than double the breadth of a concert grand piano. Poncho Via the longhorn set two records in May 2019: the widest horn spread on a living steer and the largest horn on a living steer.
Purin, a beagle, holds the world record for going 10 meters (32.8 feet) on a ball in around nine seconds.
Purin, a Japanese beagle, is little but strong and has set several world records. According to Guinness World Records, she rode 10 meters (32.8 ft) on a rolling ball in 9.45 seconds. Purin established the record in 2017.
Purin the beagle also grabbed 14 mini-soccer balls in one minute, a record for a dog.
Purin established yet another world record when he caught 14 small soccer balls in one minute. According to Guinness World Records, Purin’s owner, Makoto Kumagai, threw the balls to his gifted beagle for the exercise. Purin set the mini-soccer ball catching record in 2015. Purin also holds the record for executing 51 successful jump-rope skips with her owner in one minute, which they accomplished in May 2016.
Franchesca, a bunny, claims the world record for having the longest fur on a rabbit.
Franchesca, a rabbit owned by Betty Chu in Morgan Hill, California, with 14.37-inch-long hair. According to Guinness World Records, Franchesca is an English Angora rabbit who is frequently misidentified as a Pekingese dog. Franchesca established the record in 2014.
Keon, an Irish wolfhound, holds the world record for the longest dog tail, extending more than 30 inches.
Keon, an Irish wolfhound with a 30.2-inch tail, holds the record for the dog with the longest tail. Keon, who is owned by Ilse Loodts and lives in Westerlo, Belgium, set the record in 2015.
Tigger, a ʙʟᴏᴏᴅʜᴏᴜɴᴅ, holds the record for the longest dog ears.
Tigger the ʙʟᴏᴏᴅʜᴏᴜɴᴅ set a world record for the length of his ears, which measured 13.5 and 13.75 inches, making him the dog with the longest ears. According to Guinness World Records, Tigger .d.i.e.d in 2009. Tigger established the world record in 2004.
Snooty, a manatee, lived to be 69 years old, making him the oldest manatee in captivity.
Snooty the manatee was born in July 1948 and lived at the South Florida Museum in Bradenton, Florida, until July 23, 2017 – two days after his 69th birthday, according to Guinness World Records. The gigantic marine creature shared a pool with three other manatees, Randall, Baca, and Gale, that held almost 60,000 gallons of water.
Mochi, a Saint Bernard, has the world’s longest tongue, reaching moreover 7 inches.
Carla and Craig Rickert of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, own Mochi, a Saint Bernard dog with the world’s longest dog tongue, measuring 7.31 inches. In April 2016, Mochi established the world record.
Cassius, the largest living crocodile in captivity, is more than 17 feet in length, which is the length of two ping-pong tables set end-to-end.
According to Guinness World Records, Cassius, a crocodile living in an Australian wildlife park on the Great Barrier Reef, is the largest crocodile in captivity. Cassius is 17 feet 11 inches tall, which is the length of two ping-pong tables placed end-to-end. Cassius was the largest live crocodile in captivity when he was born in 2011.
In March 2018, Maymo the Lemon Beagle became the most-watched animal on YouTube, with over 695 million views.
Maymo has his own YouTube channel, fittingly named Maymo. According to Guinness World Records, the videos of Maymo and his canine sibling, Potpie, have had over 695 million views and counting as of March 2018. In March 2018, Maymo the Lemon Beagle became the most-watched animal on YouTube.
