by A man tried to get eaten alive by a snake on TV and immediately regretted it. Now, he’s explained why he did it.
Conservationist Paul Rosolie and a team of 10 tracked down a 20ft long, 18 stone anaconda, one of the most fearsome creatures, in the Amazon rainforest.
To the horror of viewers watching at home, he attempted to let himself be consumed by the snake by donning a black armored suit, slathering himself in pig blood, and approaching the creature ‘on all fours.’
Many questioned Rosolie’s sanity, however, he insists there was a powerful message behind the daring act.
The insane stunt took place in 2014 and was featured on Discovery Channel’s Eaten Alive?
To prepare, Rosolie and his team spent weeks searching for a suitable snake, eventually locating the anaconda.
So the conservationist would survive the encounter, a team of engineers designed a custom carbon-fiber suit with built-in cameras, a radio microphone, and mechanisms to ensure his safety.
The suit was designed to endure the snake’s crushing force, its primary method of subduing prey.
To attract the anaconda, the suit was coated in pig’s blood to simulate the scent of a natural food source.
Rosolie communicated with his team via radio while being constricted by the anaconda for over an hour. He was unable to see or hear much.
Throughout the stunt, a medical team, veterinarians, and his wife were on hand to ensure his safety and that of the snake.
Later, the conservationist described the experience as ‘difficult’ and ‘stressful.’
He recounted: “My heart was going. The last thing I remember is seeing the snake’s mouth open straight at my face. Everything went black and then I just felt it was like being caught in a wave. It was just wrapped up and you feel that crush.”
Rosolie first fell in love with the Amazon and its remarkable wildlife during a visit at age 18.
Since then, he’s dedicated his life to protecting the environment, working in regions such as Indonesia, Brazil, India, and Peru.
Rosalie had been keen to draw attention to the conservation efforts of the Amazon and change people’s perceptions regarding the anaconda.
In an interview with Today, he said: “It actually started with me watching the rainforest get burned and getting really frustrated that people weren’t as excited about it as I was.
“I wanted to do something that was going to grab people’s attention.
“People have tried everything else. I work down there year after year, and you see this habitat being destroyed.”
Ultimately, Rosolie hoped the dramatic stunt would shed light on the dire situation in the Amazon rainforest and inspire others to support conservation efforts.
Whether or not the stunt achieved its intended impact remains debatable, but it certainly captured worldwide attention for the rainforest’s plight.
Watch Paul Rosolie try to get eaten by a snake here…
