Guinness World Records, which markets itself as an authority on all world records, documents not only the accomplishments of humans, but also those of animals — from domestic pets like cats and dogs to wild creatures, including crocodiles, pandas, and more.
Keep reading to learn about animals that have held or currently hold world records.
1. A Great Dane named Zeus was the tallest dog ever, measuring 7 feet, 4 inches when standing on his hind legs.
Zeus, a Great Dane, is the Guinness World Record-holder for the world’s tallest dog. Zeus ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ in 2014 at the age of 5. As of 2019, his record-breaking height — 7 feet, 4 inches when he stood on his hind legs — has yet to be ʙᴇᴀᴛᴇɴ.
Zeus set the world record in 2011.
- World’s Woolliest Sheep:
Over 40 kilograms (88 lb) of wool has been sheared from a sheep found near Australia’s capital, making him unofficially the world’s wooliest. The animal, named Chris by his rescuers, was discovered on the northern outskirts of Canberra and was said to be struggling to walk under the weight of his coat. As a carrier of the world’s heaviest fleece, he shattered the current record set by New Zealand sheep Big Ben, who was found to be supporting nearly 29 kilograms of wool in 2014. Big Ben dethroned fellow Kiwi Shrek, who gained celebrity in his home country, meeting then Prime Minister Helen Clark and becoming the subject of several children’s books before his ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ in 2011. - Widest Spread on a Longhorn
Joe Sedlacek of Greenleaf, Kansas has reason to be proud—his Texas Longhorn steer, Lazy J’s Bluegrass, has a horn spread measuring nearly 9’8″ across. Bluegrass took the Guinness World Record at a competition held by the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association.
Sedlacek said the past 5 or 6 generations of Bluegrass’s lineage had very longhorns. Although he missed his chance at the world’s record last year by only a half an inch, another year’s growth was enough to secure his title. - Longest Ears on a Dog
Tigger the bloodhound holds a world record for the length of his ears, which measured 13.5 and 13.75 inches — the longest ears on a dog. Tigger died in 2009, according to Guinness World Records.
In 2003, he also inducted into the Bʟᴏᴏᴅhound’ Hall of Fame’. Traditionally it is a ʜᴜɴᴛing dog. The breed is better known for its distinctive droopy ears. It uses these ears to sweep up scents from the ground. Jennifer Wert of Colorado, USA, owned the Harbor, which is way ahead of the pack. Tigger ᴅɪᴇᴅ sadly in October 2009. Tigger set the world record in 2004. - World’s largest crocodile in ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ
It is one of the animal world records. Lolong was a saltwater crocodile. In 2012, the Guinness World Records recognized it as an enormous crocodile in ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ in the world. The previous record-holder was the male saltwater crocodile, Cᴀssius, in 2011. Cᴀssius again holds the Guinness record since the ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ of Lolong in 2013.
- World’s Longest Snake in Cᴀᴘᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ
At 7.67 meters (25′ 2″) long, Medusa, a Reticulated Python owned by Full Moon Productions in Kansas City, Missouri, is the longest snake ever kept in ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ.
The 8-year-old, 158.8 k (350 lb) ʀᴇᴘᴛɪʟᴇ is primarily kept coiled up in a nook in a haunted house attraction (The Edge of Hell) with its cavernous turn-of-the-century brick ᴡᴀʀehouse. Medusa’s primary ᴅɪᴇt consists of a ᴄᴏᴍʙination of ʀᴀʙbits, hogs, and deer served to her every two weeks.
