By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Kenyan Activist Sets New World Record With 72-Hour Tree-Hugging Feat
A 22-year-old Kenyan environmental campaigner, Truphena Muthoni, has broken a world record after holding a continuous tree-hugging marathon for 72 hours in Nyeri County, completing the attempt on Thursday.
Muthoni began the endurance challenge on Monday, determined to surpass her previous 48-hour attempt and to draw attention to the threats facing Kenya’s indigenous trees.
Throughout the three-day effort, local administrators, conservation groups and curious residents kept watch as she remained firmly wrapped around the trunk—even during periods of rain.
Her attempt quickly gained momentum nationwide, with environmental organisations highlighting the stunt as a creative way to draw attention to declining indigenous tree species and the broader ecological pressure facing central Kenya.
The region has long struggled with issues such as shrinking forest cover, soil erosion and increasingly unpredictable rainfall.
Speaking after completing the challenge, Muthoni said her goal was not only to raise awareness on conservation but also to show young people that nature can play a role in mental well-being.
She explained that her message to Kenyans is that caring for the environment is closely tied to caring for themselves.
Environmental officials in Nyeri praised the symbolic act, saying it has amplified ongoing tree-restoration campaigns in an area where indigenous woodlands continue to face encroachment and degradation.
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