Eaten Alive is a nature documentary special which aired on Discovery Channel on December 7, 2014. The special focused on an expedition by wildlife author and conservationist Paul Rosolie to locate a green anaconda named "Chumana", which he believed to be the world's longest, in a remote location of the Amazon rainforest . The special was also purportedly to feature Rosolie being "eaten" by an anaconda, protected by a suit designed specifically for this purpose. Though Rosolie stated that the special was intended to draw attention to wildlife conservation and the destruction of the Amazon, the special was condemned prior to its premiere by critics and the animal rights group PETA as an inhumane publicity stunt oriented towards shock value, resulting in calls for Discovery Channel to pull the special. After its premiere, Eaten Alive was widely criticized for not containing the content that was originally promised by Discovery Channel whilst promoting the special; while it did feature Rosolie attempting to feed himself to an anaconda, the snake did attack, but did not swallow Rosolie as the title of the special implied, and the stunt itself was called off due to safety concerns. One critic went as far as to compare the special to The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults—a television event that ended with a similarly disappointing outcome that did not meet promoted expectations. A teaser for Eaten Alive was first broadcast during Discovery Channel's telecast of Nik Wallenda's high wire crossings in Chicago on November 2, 2014. The special purported to feature Paul Rosolie being "eaten" by, and retrieved from, a live anaconda. Shortly afterward, Discovery Channel released further information surrounding the special, including a statement by Rosolie. He explained that Eaten Alive was intended to draw attention to wildlife conservation, stating that I've seen first-hand how the Amazon Rainforest is being destroyed. It is so rampant that we may be the last generation with the opportunity to save it. People need to wake up to what is going on. What better way is there to shock people than to put my life on the line with the largest snake on the planet, the Green Anaconda? The statements also implied his survival of the stunt, as the special had already been filmed. Rosolie wore a "custom-built snake-proof suit" whilst performing the stunt to keep both him and the snake safe, and to counter threats that would be encountered during the stunt. The suit consisted of multiple layers of equipment, including a cooling vest to control his body temperature, a Tychem suit to protect against stomach acid, a mix of carbon fiber and chainmail armor to protect against impact and bites, and an externally-supplied oxygen mask covered by a carbon fiber helmet. The suit was designed to withstand up to 300 psi of pressure, about three times stronger than the grip of an anaconda, which is estimated to only be around 90 psi. Rosoli also ingested a wireless device which allowed his crew to monitor his vital signs. Eaten Alive proved to be controversial even before its premiere, attracting criticism from animal rights groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), who argued that Rosolie's stunt was an example of animal cruelty, while an online petition on Change.org urging Discovery Channel to pull the special reached over 25,000 signatures. PETA objected to the use of an animal for "entertainment", and went on to say that "making this snake use up energy by swallowing this fool and then possibly regurgitating him would have left the poor animal exhausted and deprived of the energy that he or she needs. Shame on this pseudo 'wildlife expert' for tormenting this animal, and shame on the Discovery Channel for giving him the incentive to do so

• published: 16 Aug 2015
• views: 7