Pakistan goat: Long-eared kid becomes star

Everyone has heard of Dumbo: the cartoon elephant whose ears were so huge he was ridiculed by his peers and forced to perform cruel circus stunts.

He is no longer the only animal to achieve fame for sporting lengthy lugs.

Meet Simba - the kid goat from Karachi, Pakistan whose two ears measure 54cm (21in) each.

And times appear to have changed. Instead of ridicule, he has become a global star: winning beauty contests and living out a pampered existence.

Simba's breeder, Mohammad Hasan Narejo, told AFP news agency that he had even approached the Guinness World Records to register the animal as the world's "Greatest of All Time" goat.

No category currently appears to exist for "longest-eared goat," so it is unclear whether Simba's ears are indeed record-breaking.

Longest in the world or not, the kid goat has already become a social media celebrity in Pakistan after pictures of his striking ears began to circulate.

But as well as propelling Simba to stardom, being born with such lengthy features presents unique challenges of its own.

For instance, the fact that they are a trip hazard. To prevent an accident, Mr Narejo has resorted to folding Simba's ears around his back, and he has also designed a wearable harness to do the same job.

Another fear is rival breeders, whose unwanted attention is a source of concern for Mr Narejo. He has turned to prayer and traditional rites to stave off any potential ill-will from others.

"We recite Koranic verses and blow on him to cast away the evil eye," he told AFP.

Ultimately, however, his plans are more ambitious. He wants to raise Simba to promote Pakistan's image as a world-leader in goat breeding.

"Simba's Pakistan name must roam the whole world."