World records 2007

The oldest intact mammoth on record was found by a group of French scientists in Siberia, Russia, in Oct. 1999. The animal is estimated to be 23,000 years old, and has tusks weighing 143 lbs. each. The objective of the expedition, which was sponsored by the Discovery Channel, was to find DNA from this extinct species to perform cloning experiments.

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The fastest eater amongst mammals is the star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata). Research published in February 2005 by Dr Kenneth Catania (USA) at Vanderbilt University, Tennessee, USA, recorded an average ‘handling time’ of 230 milliseconds with the fastest time being 120 milliseconds.

The oldest living kinkajou (Potos flavus) in captivity is Huggy Bear, who turned 27 years 6 months old in January 2004 and belongs to Sonja Pedersen (USA) of Holiday, Florida, USA.

The Sharp Beaked ground Finch also known as the Dawin Finch of the wolf islands of Galapagos islands usally eat berrys and insects, but since 1964 scientists have observed this species pecking large sea birds called Boobies and drinking the Blood that seeps from the wound.

The largest land gastropod is the African giant snail Achatina achatina. The biggest specimen on record was 15.5 in. long from snout to tail and weighed exactly 2 lbs. named Gee Geronimo, it was owned by Christopher Hudson of Hove, E. Sussex, England.