Ghana environmentalist hugs over 1,100 trees in an hour to smash world record

An environmentalist from Ghana, West Africa recently set the Guinness World Record (GWR) for most trees hugged in an hour in an un-be-leaf-able feat.

Abubakar Tahiru, 29, scurried through the Tuskegee National Forest in Alabama, hugging 1,123 trees along his way, in just one hour, the New York Post reported.

That means the Ghana native averaged 19 tree hugs per minute.

"It's important to me to inspire the youth in Ghana, especially those from less privileged communities like the one I grew up in, showing them that it’s possible to rise above challenges and make a significant impact," Tahiru said.

Tahiru, who is pursuing a master’s degree in forestry at Auburn University, was required to wrap both arms "around a tree in a close embrace" to set the record.

Additionally, he was not allowed to hug the same tree more than once, or cause any damage to the saplings — otherwise, he would have been disqualified.

Tahiru, who was also fasting for Ramadan during the challenge said: "Not being able to drink water throughout the attempt posed a significant challenge, especially given the physical exertion required.

"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 smashed the previous record of 700 trees hugged.

"Achieving this world record feels incredibly rewarding," he said, adding that he challenged himself for the record to raise awareness of the importance of the environment.