A man voluntarily presented himself to green anaconda and regretted later.
Crazy, no?
But from ancient times of circus acts to the modern day world, extreme stunts have always fascinated mankind.
This has only fueled by the constant exposure of social media and race of viral content.
However, these daring acts raise questions about the motivation and purpose behind their attempt. Is performing dangerous stunts and risking lives always for attention or there can be a better cause to it?
One such stunt was pulled by conservationist Paul Rosolie who, in 2014, risked it all. Due to the escalating threats Amazon forest faces, Paul wanted to draw people’s attention towards the deforestation and habitat loss in Amazon.
Being a wildlife enthusiast, Rosolie had studied the Amazon’s ecosystem and the challenges being faced by the Mother Nature.
He chose a dramatic way, as part of a Discovery Channel special titled Eaten Alive, to bring focus on Amazon forests. However, things didn’t go as planned and ended in instant regret.
The green anaconda, being the heaviest and one of the longest snakes, is a strong predator. Having immense strength, green anaconda can crush preys weighing even several hundred pounds.
As a part of the stunt, Rosolie allowed himself to be constricted by the giant green anaconda. For this daring act, Rosolie wore a special costume made of carbon fiber to withstand the constricting pressure of the snake.
The special suit was equipped with oxygen supply to help prevent the stuntman from suffocation and cameras installed inside to document the experience.
Rosolie used pig’s blood to mimic prey and provoke attack by the enormous anaconda. Literally invited by the stuntman, anaconda began to constrict Rosolie. It even attempted to eat him head first.
The anaconda first took a tight grip on the stuntman, wrapping its powerful coils around the body, making him unable to move. Rosolie, on the other hand, remained calm and focused. The medical team kept on monitoring Rosolie’s vitals to ensure his safety.
As anaconda kept on inducing more pressure to kill, Rosolie felt immense pressure on his rib cage, making it difficult to breathe for him. That’s exactly what anacondas do – tightening with every exhale until the prey is no longer able to breath. His heartbeat dropped and breathing became labored.
Despite the tough carbon fiber suit and extensive preparation, being short of breath, Rosolie gave up. At this point, the medical team intervened carefully to release Rosolie from the tight grasp.
The experience must be terrifying but served the good cause of drawing attention towards the amazon forest which it succeeded in. Global discussions started about the protection of wildlife and endangered species. However, this stunt also received some critism highlighting the stunt was harmful to the snake and unnecessary to draw attention. Rosolie defended his action by emphasizing his lifelong commitment to the protection of anacondas and other wildlife of the forest.
