Three of South Dakota’s Guinness World Records

The Guinness World Records have been around for a long time. What started out as a repository of facts to settle arguments in pubs has turned into a legendary list of interesting and often strange accomplishments. A number of those records are held by people, businesses, athletes, animals, or the weather in South Dakota.

Longest Tongue on Living Dog

Mochi, a Saint Bernard from Sioux Falls, was named the dog with the longest tongue on a living dog in 2016. Mo, what the canine was called for short, had a tongue measuring 18.58 cm. An insanely long tongue to say the least! Sadly, Mochi passed away in October of 2021.

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Largest Reptile Zoo

If you are from South Dakota there is a pretty decent chance you have heard of Reptile Gardens, just outside of Rapid City in the Black Hills. But you might be surprised to find out it is the largest reptile zoo in the world.

Started in 1937 by a 21-year-old snake fan, Reptile Gardens is home to a number of Guinness World Record holding animals, including the longest venomous snake (king cobra), slowest chelonian (giant tortise), and the most terrifying, the most venomous snake (Australian taipan) which can kill a human after numerous quick bites in a matter of minutes.

Largest Coprolite (fossilized poop) from a Carnivore

South Dakota is one of eight states in America, along with Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, which is home to large numbers of dinosaur fossils. Like every other animal that has ever lived, dinosaurs had to drop a deuce from time to time. The largest fossilized poop from a carnivore ever found was over two feet in length and six inches wide at its widest point. It is believed to be a tyrannosaurus tex turd and it was found on a ranch near Buffalo in Harding County.

Along with these three quirky records, there are dozens more listed on the Guinness World Record website.