Climate activist Truphena Muthoni has officially set a new Guinness World Record by hugging a tree for 72 consecutive hours, a feat she hopes will spotlight the urgency of climate action while surpassing her own previous milestone.
The 22-year-old environmentalist, known for her passion for reforestation and youth-led ecological advocacy, undertook the three-day endurance challenge outside Nyeri Governor Kahiga Mutahi’s office in Nyeri town.
Muthoni had previously broken the 48-hour tree-hugging world record in February at Nairobi’s Michuki Memorial Park.
This time, she set even stricter conditions for herself — no food, no water, and no breaks — while maintaining continuous contact with the tree. She was allowed to shift positions or move around the trunk as long as the embrace remained unbroken.
“I am doing this to also encourage people just to make them fall in love with nature, so that they do not hurt nature, and also because I believe that conservation begins with love, and that we must nurture a million trees before we plant a million trees,” she said in a previous interview
To keep her motivated, fellow environmental activists arranged a rotating playlist of music throughout the challenge. Supporters also gathered periodically to cheer her on, applauding her endurance and determination.
