Zany Zimbabweans
This Friday, the 18th April marks independence Day in Zimbabwe. This southern African state was formerly known as Rhodesia, until 1980 when it became fully independent from British rule and took up its current name. We have had many Guinness World Records attempted there and here are some of the successful ones:
Largest game of pick up sticks
The largest game of pick up sticks is 9.10 m (29 ft 10.3 in) long and 14.5 cm (5.7 in) in diameter and was played by the pupils of St. Johns Preparatory School in Harare, Zimbabwe, on 21 July 2007.
Longest kept diary
Col. Ernest Loftus of Harare, Zimbabwe kept a daily diary for over 91 years. He began his daily diary on 4 May 1896 at the age of 12 and continued it until his death on 7 July 1987 aged 103 years 178 days.
Most bee stings removed
The greatest number of bee stings sustained by any surviving human subject is 2,443 by Johannes Relleke at the Kamativi tin mine, Gwaii River, Wankie District, Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) on 28 January 1962. All the stings were removed and counted.
Medication - most pills taken
The highest recorded total of pills swallowed by a patient is 565,939 between 9 June 1967 and 19 June 1988 by C.H.A. Kilner (1926-88) of Bindura, Zimbabwe.
Largest elephant relocation project
The world's biggest elephant relocation project was carried out in August 1993 by the wildlife charity Care For The Wild International (CFTWI), which was made possible by funds raised by the charity. The relocation project was organised and overseen by CFTWI's chairman, Dr Bill Jordan (a qualified wildlife vet), its managing director Chris Jordan (both UK), and wildlife management expert Clem Coetsee (Zimbabwe). More than 500 elephants in whole family groups were transported some 250 km (155 miles) across Zimbabwe, from Gonarezhou National Park to the Save Valley Conservancy, in order to avoid being culled.
16 April 2008