A 12-year-old male giraffe called Forest, resident of Australia Zoo in Queensland has been confirmed as the world’s tallest giraffe, hitting a giddy 5.7 meters (18 feet, 8 inches). Actually, all giraffes are tall but 12-year-old Forest officially stands above the rest.
The team from Guinness World Record had to create a specially marked measuring pole and rig it close to a hay dispenser in the giraffe house to record his height. The team coaxing the animal to stand up straight, while the cameras were rolling, as it took some time for Forest to get comfortable with the new feeder.
His keeper, Kat Hansen revealed that it took them a number of months to capture the measurements, via video footage and images. This giant born in 2007, at Auckland Zoo in New Zealand. Forest was moved to his new home, which was located in Queensland, run by the Irwin family, at the tender age of two. Robert Irwin excitedly release a message to fans on Twitter, “Our big boy, ‘Forest’ has just made history being announced as the world’s tallest living giraffe! He is one beautiful gentle giant!”
An instrumental part of the giraffe breeding program at Australia Zoo, Forest has sired 12 calves over the last decade, with another on the way. Who knows if one of his offspring could go on to claim the title from dad, with Forest’s genes.
“Our sweetheart Forest has officially made it into the Guinness World Records for being the tallest living giraffe! We are proud of our towering guy, he has such a wonderful heart”, said Bindi Irwin, the daughter of late conservationist and television personality Steve Irwin.
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.”
In the wild, giraffes (Giraffa camelopardlis) have been currently recognized as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with some subspecies considered “Endangered” or “Critically Endangered”.
Cover Photo – The Irwin family celebrate Forest’s tall order with his official Guinness World Records certificate / www.guinnessworldrecords.com
