Paul Rosolie opens up about the terrifying experience of being caught by an anaconda.
“How do you think it feels to be eaten by a snake?”
It might sound like the kind of bizarre question you ask during a late-night chat, but Paul Rosolie, a man from Brooklyn, New York, has a story that makes this scenario all too real.
Who Is Paul Rosolie?
Growing up in the urban sprawl of New York City didn’t stop Rosolie from developing a deep connection with nature. For nearly two decades, he has dedicated his life to working alongside Indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest, striving to protect some of the planet’s last wild frontiers.
His mission is rooted in a profound love for the natural world. Rosolie believes that reconnecting with nature has healing effects.
“The truth is, we evolved as a species in nature, so when you return to it, you often feel better,” he told in an interview.
Rosolie spends most of the year living deep in the Amazon, often far from the conveniences of modern life. From sleeping under the stars to navigating dense jungle terrain, his life is as rugged as it is inspiring.
How Did Rosolie End Up Being Eaten by a Snake?
This question has intrigued people since a 2014 viral video aired on the Discovery Channel’s Eaten Alive. Surprisingly, Rosolie’s close encounter with a 14-foot anaconda wasn’t an accident—it was a deliberate, jaw-dropping stunt.
The stunt required Rosolie to voluntarily allow a green anaconda, one of the heaviest and most powerful snakes on the planet, to wrap itself around him. These massive creatures are capable of taking down prey much larger than humans. The largest green anaconda ever recorded weighed an astonishing 500 pounds, according to the Natural History Museum.
Rosolie’s decision was not a reckless thrill-seeking act. Instead, it was part of his efforts to raise global awareness about the Amazon rainforest and the countless species that call it home.
Was He Ever in Real Danger?
“When filming with the Discovery Channel, I didn’t feel like I was near death,” Rosolie admitted.
That sense of safety was due to the extensive precautions taken by the production team. Rosolie wore a specially designed protective suit, and an ambulance stood by in case of emergencies.
However, during the preparations for the stunt, the situation turned terrifying. While searching for the right snake, Rosolie encountered an aggressive 14-foot anaconda. This moment tested not only his physical strength but also his nerves.
What Did It Feel Like to Be Eaten?
“I did get wrapped without any suit or protection,” Rosolie revealed, recounting the harrowing encounter.
He described the bone-crushing strength of the snake: “When you catch an anaconda, you need to secure its head. This snake’s head was enormous, with 200 teeth. It locked my wrists together, and the next coil came over my shoulder. I almost had my shoulders touch.”
The experience quickly escalated into a life-threatening situation. “I was moments away from having my ribcage crushed. My friend JJ saved my life,” he said.
Rosolie explained the suffocating pressure of the snake’s grip: “Every time you exhale, you lose space. You can’t take a full breath again. It was terrifying—I couldn’t even call for help.”
Why Did He Do It?
Letting yourself be eaten by a snake isn’t on most people’s to-do list. But for Rosolie, it was part of a greater cause.
“I did it to raise awareness for the Amazon rainforest,” he shared. “Animals exist for their own reasons; we’re not the only species on this planet. Indigenous people are risking everything to protect the rainforest because they understand that without ecosystems, nothing else matters. If you can’t breathe the air or drink the water, nothing you care about will happen.”
Rosolie hopes his extreme stunt captured the world’s attention and shed light on the urgent need to protect the Amazon.
The Amazon rainforest isn’t just home to exotic animals and lush greenery. It plays a critical role in regulating the Earth’s climate and producing oxygen. Without it, life as we know it could drastically change.
“That’s why I’m here. That’s why I was willing to do something as extreme as trying to be eaten by an anaconda,” he concluded.
You can support Rosolie’s mission and learn more at www.junglekeepers.org.