Ghana man hugs 1,123 trees in an hour for world record

April 26 (UPI) -- A Ghana man studying forestry in Alabama set a world record for most trees hugged in an hour when he hugged 1,123 trees at Tuskegee National Forest.

Abubakar Tahiru, 29, became interested in nature conservation while growing up in a farming community in Tepa, Ghana. He is pursuing a master's degree in forestry at Auburn University.

The record attempt required that Tahiru wrap both of his arms around each tree in a close embrace without causing any damage to the trees. No tree could be hugged more than once, requiring Tahiru to move quickly between each hug.

Tahiru was fasting for Ramadan at the time of his record attempt, which presented another challenge.

"Not being able to drink water throughout the attempt posed a significant challenge, especially give the physical exertion required," he told Guinness World Records. "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."

Averaging 19 trees per minute, Tahiru easily surpassed the minimum requirement of 700 trees to establish the record.

The record raises awareness of the importance of trees and environmental conservation.