National Geographic Kids Sets 8th GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® Title For Largest Online Photo Album of Animals through Great Nature Project

Michelle Obama, Selena Gomez, Danica Patrick, Joe Jonas, Jewel among notable participants to capture global snapshot of nature and biodiversity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National Geographic Kids today claimed its eighth GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® title for the Largest Online Photo Album of Animals. Through the Great Nature Project, National Geographic's online effort to photograph and celebrate biodiversity around the world, 104,022 pictures of animals were collected from kids and adults from almost every country.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131016/DC98605LOGO-b)

Starting in May, photographers around the world submitted pictures of animals through Twitter, Instagram, Flickr and National Geographic Kids' My Shot photo community using the hashtags #GreatNature and #animal. The pictures were then compiled on GreatNatureProject.org, where people can sort pictures by destination and examine animals from backyards, parks and wildlife areas around the world and learn more about the world's biodiversity.

Numerous celebrities also participated in the record-breaking endeavor by submitting photos, curating galleries and promoting the effort to capture biodiversity around the world. They included first lady Michelle Obama, singer Selena Gomez, singer and actor Joe Jonas, race car driver Danica Patrick, Reading Rainbow's LeVar Burton, singer Jewel and former "The Tonight Show" bandleader Kevin Eubanks.

"Kids as well as adults across the planet have helped us get a real global snapshot of nature today through the Great Nature Project," said Rachel Buchholz, editor of National Geographic Kids magazine.

The Great Nature Project website is the hub of the project and showcases photo galleries curated by National Geographic explorers and other celebrities as well as an interactive, searchable map of all photos uploaded to the project worldwide. Participating National Geographic explorers and photographers include wildlife photographer and National Geographic Fellow Joel Sartore, conservationist, actor and Nat Geo WILD host Casey Anderson, and filmmaker, conservationist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Beverly Joubert. The Great Nature Project is a key initiative of the National Geographic Society, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year.

"Photography is such a powerful tool for conservation and environmental protection," said Sartore. "I hope the Great Nature Project inspires the next generation of National Geographic photographers to protect the world through photography."

National Geographic Kids' seven previous GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS titles are: Longest Line of Footprints (10,932 prints measuring two miles, set in 2004); Largest Collection of Plush Toys (2,304 stuffed animals, set in 2006); Longest Chain of Shoes (10,512 shoes, set in 2008); Most Items of Clothing Collected for Recycling (33,088 items of denim clothing, set in 2009); Most People Doing Jumping Jacks in 24 Hours (300,265, set in 2011), Largest Collection of Shoes to Recycle (16,407, set in 2013); and Most People Running 100 Meters in 24 hours (30,914, set in 2013). First lady Michelle Obama participated in the 2011 jumping jacks record-breaking feat, kicking off the attempt with one minute of jumping jacks on the White House lawn as part of her Let's Move! initiative. This record is featured in the book "Guinness World Records 2014."

About National Geographic Kids
National Geographic Kids inspires young adventurers to explore the world through award-winning magazines, books, apps, games, toys, videos, events and a website, and is the only kids brand with a world-class scientific organization at its core.

About GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS (www.guinnessworldrecords.com) is the global authority on record-breaking achievements.

SOURCE National Geographic Kids