Before making plans to go trekking in Nepal, please look at the video footage and photographs taken during an undercover investigation commissioned by PETA India. The footage shows how baby elephants in this South Asian tourist destination are taken from their mothers and "broken" by being chained, struck, and burned so that they can be used to give rides.

Trainers repeatedly wave flaming torches in the frightened youngsters' faces and over their trunks, legs, and bodies. The fire singes their skin, causing painful burns and causing sparks to fly into their eyes. Heavy chains and restraints spiked with nails are used to restrict the calves' movements, leaving abrasions and puncture wounds. Hooks are often pierced through the elephants' sensitive ears, which riders yank on in order to steer the animals.

Bullying and tormenting elephants forced to give rides and to perform for tourists' entertainment is pervasive throughout the world. Baby elephants in India, Thailand and even at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus’s “training camp” in Florida suffer similar abuse. Trainers with Have Trunk Will Travel (HTWT),  which provides elephant rides for fairgoers in California, have been caught on tape beating elephants.

You can help by boycotting all elephant “entertainment” acts and by asking the Los Angeles County Fair and the Orange County Fair to stop supporting elephant abuse by ending their relationship with HTWT.

Written by Jennifer O'Connor

You've probably never heard of elephant polo, and now that Guinness World Records has agreed to stop documenting records for wins in elephant polo matches, perhaps you never will again. The publishing giant made the move after learning from PETA U.K. that captive elephants forced to perform in such matches in India and Thailand are torn away from their families, beaten, and gouged with rods that have sharp metal tips.

In a letter to PETA U.K., Guinness Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday wrote, "This decision is in line with our policy not to accept or recognise any records based on the killing or harming of animals."

ravikiran rao/cc by 2.0

Among the other records the book will not recognize are those involving fox hunting and bullfighting. Anyone who still thinks that elephant polo or other cruel "sports" are acceptable should have the divots stomped out of them.

Written by Michelle Sherrow

thailand / CC

No, you're not experiencing déjà vu. This is the second blog in two days in which we've reported that primates have taken aim at humans—literally. In the latest instance, a monkey in Thailand—fed up with performing the thankless task of climbing coconut trees to retrieve fruit for his owner to sell—apparently launched a coconut at the man's head, killing him instantly. Did we mention that payback is hell?

Like so many animals who are exploited for profit, the monkey, whose name is Brother Kwan, was frequently denied rest and beaten if he refused to climb.

This story comes on the heels of a report last week about a chimpanzee in a Swedish Zoo who collects stockpiles of rocks and then chucks them at zoo visitors.

How much more proof do we need that primates are intelligent animals with the ability to reason, get mad, and fight back? Better watch your back, Castrol.

Written by Jennifer Cierlitsky

Just as David Novak, CEO of KFC's parent company, Yum!, stepped up to address a crowd of Louisville business owners yesterday, two animal rights activists entered the stage, commandeered the mic, and told the assembled captains of Kentucky industry that "David Novak tortures animals," a reference to the millions of chickens who have their wings and legs broken in shackles and transport crates and are scalded alive (among other abuses) by KFC suppliers because KFC won't take any action to stop it.

The women were removed by security, but their words had already caught the attention of reporters and was front-page news on the Louisville Courier-Journal's Web site.

Consummate "suit" that he is, Novak proceeded by leading the crowd in the "Yum! cheer" (which we assume is not to be confused with the Bronx cheer that KFC so richly deserves).

Novak also—presumably with a straight face—told the crowd that he rewards outstanding employees with rubber chickens. I'm not making that up. "It does not take a lot of money to give away a rubber chicken," he said. It wouldn't take a lot of money for KFC to implement the minimal animal welfare standards we've asked for, but that's not of any interest to him. Who came up with this business model—Stalin?

We have some lovely shots of PETA protesters outside the event. Check it:

Written by Alisa Mullins

Former PETA intern Ashley just sent along these great pictures from her "All Animals Have the Same Parts" pro-vegetarian demonstration yesterday for PETA’s Asia Pacific affiliate.

It seems like the whole thing went over pretty damn well. The photographers in particular look really pleased with themselves for some reason. Anyway, I just wanted to give a shout-out to Ashley, who's always willing to go that extra mile to help animals (e.g., "Hey Ashley, would you mind going to Thailand, getting naked, and painting yourself like cuts of meat to point out the absurdity of treating any living being like an object? Great, thanks."). Ashley—you're amazing. Check out the pics: