Elephant Pedicures, Face Paint & More At Nepal Festival (PHOTOS)

Previously, the wildest pedicure we'd ever heard of was the male pedicure -- which, to be fair, ain't that crazy.

But now we've seen it all: elephant pedicures.

The lucky ellies got their toes painted in Nepal as part of a a three-day, elephant-themed festival. The event, which includes elephant races, elephant soccer and an elephant beauty pageant (!!), is intended to attract positive attention to Nepal, encourage tourism and raise awareness of conservation efforts.

But what they really raised awareness of (for us, at least) was how awesome it would be to do manis and pedis on elephant-sized toes. You know how many cool nail designs you could fit on those things?

Check it out.

Comments

[bmitche]

04:04 PM on 01/02/2012

The pedicure looks better on an elephant than on a man.

[Morgan378]

02:06 PM on 01/02/2012

Well, it seemed more like a celebration of/with elephants. They didn't seem to mind being "made up" and being adored. Maharajahs adorned them in head coverings enrusted with jewels - riding atop them with a wife or betrothed, having bathed them in milk for the ceremony of worship. To become engaged during this time was a portent of great wisdom throughout their rule, health and good fortune. That was prior to the British Raj. And then the poor elephants had to go to work harvesting mahogany and beech trees from the forests - hauling them from the forests at the end of a gaf hook - along with great mounds of tea from the interior. Thankfully now, most are treated well again and labor only at times of great need by their masters. Fed well and not beaten they're respected and loved. Unlike their African cousins.

[celtcalgal]

02:06 PM on 01/02/2012

wow........how cool is that.

[seabeeutcn]

12:41 PM on 01/02/2012

See Rosie Odonnel was vacationing in Napal.

[WILLIEMOJORISIN]

12:17 PM on 01/02/2012

I thought all manicurists were Asian .

[kranmar]

11:23 AM on 01/02/2012

" Women are like elephants to me; I like to look at them, but I wouldn't want to own one."
W.C. Fields

[bpalmer342]

10:16 AM on 01/02/2012

Dress up can be fun even for elephants. They see the other elephants dressed up and they play games etc. Not much crazier that people and their domestic pets. Dogs dressed as people, cats in wigs.
Enjoy

[Henssis1]

10:16 AM on 01/02/2012

I don't see the humor in this...Elephant are awesome animals and they are very smart...Chances are there was someone near by with a steal rod or some other kind of weapon...Elephants or any other animals don't belong in a circus either...Great animals with lots of feelings...

[brod26113]

09:04 AM on 01/02/2012

No decals?

[squeeks910]

08:54 AM on 01/02/2012

So puuuuurdy. I love it and yes Rosie may be a little jealous.

[Patriot28]

08:36 AM on 01/02/2012

The nails look pretty. Takes a lot of paint. It's nice to see them using elephants in a better way than killing them for their ivory, but hitting them with a sharp object to make them run faster is just plain torture. Someday one will rebel and they will kill it = is that fair that the elephant fights for it's life?

[mebemommee06]

11:45 AM on 01/02/2012

and yet those elephants seem to be well taken care of.. they have it way better than wild ones..

[Patriot28]

07:25 PM on 01/02/2012

Maybe so, but I think wild animals should be free - and safe.

[feistyredheadct]

08:32 AM on 01/02/2012

O, I'm sure the elepants just love looking pretty. lol

[heavymetalmary]

08:11 AM on 01/02/2012

Every single one of those jerks had a hook or stick to control these magnificent creatures. The article makes it sound like the animals "like" this sort of activity. How about the brutality involved with trying to make wild animals comply? Just pitiful :(

[mebemommee06]

11:39 AM on 01/02/2012

those instruments are used to direct the animal.. seeing the elephant has a tough hide, they aren't hurting them.. but your type whines about anything that has to do with animals, don't you.

[Pema]

02:00 PM on 12/30/2011

thank you people for standing up to elehpants. on the facebook animal rights groups, shelters and rescueres we are tunring all our icons red in help raise awareness of animal abuse. eles are paticually targeted. its not cute nor funny its sad and tragic for them. fav'd you all.

[Itsmeeveryone]

12:56 PM on 12/30/2011

I'm sure glad we give Nepal 200 million dollars a year so they can use it to paint elephant toenails and beat them with metal objects while sitting on them trying to win a race.