Camilla Jessen
Trying to get swallowed alive by a giant anaconda might sound like a nightmare. For one man, it was a carefully planned reality — at least until the snake started squeezing.
Trying to get swallowed alive by a giant anaconda might sound like a nightmare. But not for Paul Rosolie.
Rosolie, a seasoned explorer and conservationist, devised a wild plan to draw global attention to the destruction of the Amazon Rainforest: he would let a giant snake eat him.
Yes, really.
The Man Behind the Suit
Having had spent years studying the Amazon’s fragile ecosystems, Rosolie felt frustrated by how little attention the world was paying to the region’s rapid deforestation and biodiversity loss.
So, he turned to something unforgettable — and dangerous.
Working with the Discovery Channel, Rosolie had a special suit designed that would allow him to survive the ordeal.
It was custom-built to resist the pressure of the anaconda’s powerful coils and equipped with cameras, communication gear, and its own oxygen supply.
The goal was to be partially swallowed by the snake, then safely removed before things got too far.
Anaconda Attack Begins
In the rainforest, Rosolie approached the massive snake and provoked it into an attack.
“She’s got my arms pinned,” Rosolie reported as the reptile wrapped around him. “She knows there’s nothing I can do.”
The anaconda bit down and began constricting. While the suit prevented injury, Rosolie quickly realized he was in serious trouble. His breathing became strained, and his heart rate skyrocketed.
“I’m calling it!” he shouted. “I need help.”
The crew, standing by, rushed in and extracted him before the snake could attempt to swallow him fully.
The stunt was broadcast as part of Eaten Alive, a Discovery Channel special that aired in 2014. It generated a mix of shock, criticism, and curiosity — but it certainly got people talking.
See the video below.
In a later interview with NBC’s Today show, Rosolie explained his motivations:
I wanted to do something that was going to grab people’s attention. People have tried everything else… and you see this habitat being destroyed.
Despite the backlash from some animal rights groups, Rosolie maintained that the stunt was meant to highlight the urgent need to protect the Amazon.
It was risky, strange, and painful, but in the end, he says, worth it if it helped shine a spotlight on a vanishing ecosystem.
See the video here.