5 of the of the Most Bizarre World Records Tied to South Dakota

South Dakota and its residents hold some truly wild, hyper-specific, and downright bizarre entries in the Guinness World Records. If you bypass the standard largest sculptures or historic cave lengths, you find a goldmine of weird human achievements, strange animal traits, and extreme weather anomalies.

Here's a look at five of the most bizarre and unusual world records tied to the state of South Dakota.

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1. The Most Spray Tans in One Hour

In 2016, Stacey Burkhart of Sioux Falls wanted to promote spray tanning as a safe, UV-free alternative to sunbathing. She didn't just make a statement; she made history at a local salon by successfully organizing and executing 92 spray tans in a single hour. That is a dizzying pace of less than 40 seconds per person to get everyone all bronzed up.

2. The Longest Dog Tongue (Ever recorded on a living dog)

A Saint Bernard from Sioux Falls named Mochi “Mo” Rickert held the legendary title for the longest tongue on a living dog. Officially measured by a vet in 2016, her tongue was a whopping 7.31 inches (18.58 cm) long. While she sadly passed away in 2021, her jaw-dropping, drool-inducing record remains a fan favorite in Guinness history.

3. The World’s Largest Fossilized Carnivore... Dung (Coprolite)

South Dakota is famous for its dinosaur fossils, but it also holds the ultimate record for prehistoric plumbing. Found on a ranch near Buffalo in Harding County, scientists discovered a fossilized tyrannosaur turd measuring over two feet long and six inches wide. It officially holds the title for the largest coprolite from a carnivore, proving that even millions of years ago, everything was bigger.

4. The Day the Thermometer Went Wild in Spearfish

Mother Nature holds her own bizarre record in the Black Hills. On January 22, 1943, the city of Spearfish recorded the fastest temperature change in world history. At 7:30 AM, it was freezing, 4°F. Just two minutes later, a massive Chinook wind swept in, rocketing the thermometer up to 45°F, a remarkable 49-degree jump in 120 seconds. The sudden shift was so violent that glass windows in town instantly frosted over and cracked. Later that morning, the temperature crashed by 58 degrees in just 27 minutes.

5. The World's Largest Collection of Swamp Thing Memorabilia

Sioux Falls resident John E. Boylan holds the official Guinness World Record for the largest collection of Swamp Thing memorabilia. Documented with over 501 unique items, ranging from hundreds of comic books and movie posters to action figures, clothing, and obscure promotional ads, it's most definitely the ultimate tribute to DC's classic humanoid muck-monster.