Explorer tries to get swallowed by an anaconda to save the rainforest – instantly regrets it

In a bold attempt to draw attention to rainforest destruction, explorer Paul Rosolie tried to be eaten alive by a giant anaconda—but had to be rescued before it went too far.

Paul Rosolie has spent years exploring the Amazon rainforest. He saw firsthand how trees were being cut down and how wildlife was losing its home. It left him feeling frustrated and helpless.

So, he decided to do something extreme—something so shocking that it would make people around the world pay attention. His plan: get swallowed by one of the Amazon’s largest snakes, the anaconda.

“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,” Rosolie later said.

Preparing for the unthinkable

To pull off this dangerous stunt, Rosolie had a special suit made. It was designed to protect him from the snake’s strong squeeze and sharp teeth. The suit had:

• Hard plates to protect his body
• An oxygen supply so he could breathe
• Tiny cameras to record what was happening

Wearing this suit, Rosolie entered the rainforest and found a giant anaconda. He got close to it on purpose, hoping it would strike. The whole thing was filmed for a Discovery Channel documentary called Eaten Alive.

The moment it all went wrong

Rosolie’s risky plan worked—but only for a moment.

The snake bit down on his arm and started wrapping around his body. At first, Rosolie calmly described what was happening to the team listening nearby.

“I’m getting coils over me,” he said. “She’s got my arms pinned. She knows there’s nothing I can do.”

But things quickly became dangerous. His heart started racing, and he had trouble breathing. Even with the suit, the pressure was too much.

“I’m calling it!” Rosolie shouted. “I need help.”

His team rushed in and pulled him out before the snake could swallow him. He was shaken but safe.

Did it help the rainforest?

Rosolie’s stunt got people talking. News outlets around the world covered the story. Many were shocked—and some were upset.

While some praised him for going to such lengths to protect the rainforest, others said the stunt was too risky and might have hurt the snake. Animal rights groups and some scientists questioned if this was the right way to raise awareness.

Still, Rosolie stood by his decision.

“I wanted to do something that was going to grab people’s attention,” he said. “People have tried everything else. I work down there year after year, and you see this habitat being destroyed.”

Even if his method was extreme, Rosolie’s message was clear: the Amazon rainforest is in danger. Every year, thousands of acres are destroyed, and the animals that live there are losing their homes.

The stunt may not have changed the world overnight, but it got people talking about something they often ignore. And in Rosolie’s eyes, that was the goal.

Paul Rosolie risked his life not for fame, but to speak up for a forest that can’t speak for itself. Whether you see his act as heroic or foolish, one thing is certain—his message hit home. The Amazon needs help. And maybe, just maybe, we all need to listen.