World's tallest donkey living his best life alongside pal with record-breaking ears
Meet your new favourite record holders: Dynamic Derrick (aka "Derrick") and Bambou, the record-breaking donkey duo that will steal your heart.
Respectively the tallest living donkey on Earth and the one with the largest ears EVER, the two record holders reside at the Radcliffe Donkey Sanctuary in Huttoft, Lincolnshire, in the UK.
Unsurprisingly, this adorable pair has already attracted many devoted fans, earning a coveted spot inside Guinness World Records 2026.
Can you guess the height of these oversized animals?
As verified last February, the giant Derrick towers over his fellow donkeys, standing at 167 cm (5 ft 5 in) from the hoof to the withers.
The gentle-hearted animal put his best hoof forward and claimed the title of tallest living donkey in the world, thanks to an awe-inspiring height that surpasses by twenty centimetres the average for his species.
But he isn't the only record-worthy resident of the Radcliffe Donkey Sanctuary.
On the very same day, his stable neigh-bour Bambou earned a Guinness World Records title of his own: this time for the longest ears on a living donkey, boasting a stunning 35 cm (1 ft 1 in) of ear real estate.
The two adorable record breakers reside side-by-side and are great pals: they love humans, and visitors of the Sanctuary can meet the two superstars and feed them delicious carrots.
Visitors can even contribute to the donkeys' upkeep and expenses by adopting one of the animals.
Derrick
Donkey Kong, who?
Make hay for Derrick, the tallest donkey in the world.
“No one can believe he’s a donkey: they all think he’s a mule because he’s so big,” said Tracy Garton, owner of the Radcliff Sanctuary, to the New York Post.
While most donkeys reach an average height of 109-145 cm (4 ft 3 in to 5 ft 7 in), Derrick sports a majestic height: a size he owes to his parents, Miss Ellie (156.8 cm, equalling 5 ft 1.7 in) and Louis (161.2 cm, equalling 5 ft 3.5 in).
Rescued in 2012, reportedly, Derrick's mum also caused a stir thanks to her unlikely height.
Her extraordinary legacy, combined with a healthy diet and plenty of top-quality food, might be part of the reason why Derrick managed to grow enough to snatch the record from the previous title holder, the Texas-born giant Romulus.
Just like Romulus, Derrick is an American Mammoth Jackstock, a breed renowned for its supersized stature.
Derrick might be tall, but don’t let his majestic size fool you: this oversized sweetheart has a mild character and a great love for treats.
Tracy describes the donkey as a "gentle giant," cuddly and very affectionate.
"He was always big, he was big when he was born," Tracy said, as reported by The Sun.
However, Derrick is not always aware of his size.
"Derrick doesn't know he is big," Tracy comments.
"But he is very affectionate and loves to be with people."
"He’s just like a big dog, follows you around all the time and wants to be by your side."
Derrick usually spends his days peacefully roaming around the sanctuary, enjoying plenty of delicious hay – on average, he can eat up to 200 kg (440 lb) per week – and enjoying the company of his mother, Miss Ellie, and their (much shorter) fellow equines.
He also loves carrots and has a serious weakness for snacks, especially ginger biscuits!
Derrick really does love biscuits, and his favourite is by far ginger biscuits. He will do anything for ginger biscuits!
Bambou
Right next door to Derrick lives his pal Bambou, an adorable Poitou donkey whose ears now out-length those of any other donkey in history.
Boasting the record for the longest ears on a living donkey, Bambou is a local superstar thanks to his unique ears.
By nature, donkeys have remarkable hearing.
Those big, mobile ears have several functions: they aren't only vital to precisely pinpoint distant sounds and communicate the animal's emotions, but they can also be a great tool to help them regulate their temperature when it's hot!
However, with a never-seen-before average span of 35 cm (1 ft 1 in), Bambou's ears are roughly as long as a compact keyboard.
Tracy described them as: "very, very long fluffy ears."
“Bambou is the most adopted donkey in the sanctuary," Tracy explained.
Thanks to his sweet temperament and legend-ear-y appearance, he quickly captures the hearts of visitors and is described as "a very good boy" by the staff at the Sanctuary.
"You’d expect him to have really good hearing, but sometimes we think he’s deaf!"
Everybody who comes here really loves him: they always ask about Bambou, rarely anybody else. He’s number one to them.
Volunteer Bill Tembey, who has worked at the sanctuary for nine years, describes Bambou as a good donkey with an adorable character.
However, he adds affectionately, this adorable big-eared pet might not be the sharpest tool in the shed: in Bill's words, he is "thick as two short planks".
Isn’t he ear-resistible?
Founded in 1999 by Tracy and Steve Garton, the Lincolnshire-based sanctuary looks after dozens of equines, including donkeys, mules, and three zebroid hybrids, each with their unique quirks and personalities.
The Sanctuary rescues donkeys in need and provides them with a better future, high-quality food and a safe home where they can live comfortably and want for nothing.
Its residents include:
- 48 donkeys
- One mule
- Two zedonks: the rare offspring of a male donkey and a female zebra
- One zonkey: equally rare, this time born from a male zebra and a female donkey
However, caring for the animals comes with substantial recurring costs and, sometimes, pricey vet bills.
The non-profit organization relies on donations, and visitors are encouraged to contribute and can even adopt one of the donkeys.
The fundraising efforts and adoptions, as reported by the Sanctuary, "help pay for food, veterinary costs, farrier visits, and a whole host of other general and everyday expenses."
Volunteers and workers at the Radcliffe Donkey Sanctuary were thrilled to hear about Derrick and Bambou's records.
They added that "having two donkeys recognized for records and included in Guinness World Records 2026 is a dream come true."
"Seeing our donkeys in the Guinness World Records book is absolutely fantastic," they declared
However, the teams also acknowledged that having Guinness World Records title holders in their barnyard boosts the Sanctuary's visibility: the duo's popularity may attract new visitors and encourage donations, ultimately helping all the animals sheltered by the Sanctuary.
"We are all really looking forward to welcoming visitors," said the team.
"We are more than ever in need of their kindness and support, and we couldn’t do without them."