Airing followed protests from conservationists on both sides of

One said it should be renamed 'looking for snakes then getting scratched'

An American naturalist filmed himself being 'eaten alive' by a snake for a TV stunt - but is now facing ridicule for getting his safety team to save him after just part of his head was consumed.

In footage aired on the Discovery Channel on Sunday night - it airs on UK TV on Friday - 27-year-old Paul Rosolie and his 10-strong team tracked down the 20ft-long, 18st anaconda to the headwaters of the Amazon river.

Donning a black armored suit, slathered in pig blood, Mr Rosolie then moved tentatively 'on all fours' toward the enormous beast as the cameras rolled and his wife, Gowri, watched.

Seconds later, the female anaconda - one of the world's most fearsome creatures - pounced on its 5ft 9ins victim, latching on to his head, before constricting his arms and body.

Criticism: Paul Rosolie, 27, is facing ridicule after filming himself being 'eaten alive' by a 20ft-long anaconda - only to get his safety team to save him after just part of his head (pictured) was consumed

Trapped in the snake's grip: In footage aired on the Discovery Channel on Sunday night, the 27-year-old and his 10-strong team tracked down the 18-and-a-half-stone snake, before letting it pounce and 'eat him'

Somebody come!' However, as Mr Rosolie felt his arm 'start to break' under the anaconda's grip, he ordered his team of fellow naturalists, doctors and vets to save him - with just the top of his head in the snake's jaws

Risk: The naturalist shows off dents on his helmet (left) and scratches on his arm (right) after the stunt

However, as Mr Rosolie felt his arm 'start to break' under the snake's grip, he ordered his team of fellow naturalists, doctors and vets to save him - with just the top of his head in the animal's jaws.

Within minutes of the show, named 'Eaten Alive', being broadcast, people across America were taking to social networking sites to express their disappointment at the highly anticipated footage.

Twitter user Josh Harris, from Boston , wrote: 'They should rename #EatenAlive alive to look for snakes for 1.5 hours and then Try to be eaten alive but only get a scratch on my arm.'

Meanwhile, Connor McCarthy, from Pennsylvania, tweeted: 'I hope Paul is happy despite letting an entire nation down. I can't believe he can show his face on tv right now. What a wuss #EatenAlive.'

And Stacey Taylor, from Ontario, Canada, said: '#EatenAlive complete waste of my time you didn't even get eaten alive you cant call a show eaten alive and not get eaten by your anaconda!'

Barstool Trent, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, posted a picture of his dog chewing his finger and quipped 'hey, Discovery, can I have my own show?'

The footage, which had been plugged on TV and online for months, was aired despite protests from conservationists on both sides of the Atlantic, many of whom deemed the stunt 'cruel'.

Rescue: Within minutes of the show, named 'Eaten Alive', being broadcast, people across America were taking to social networking sites to express their disappointment at the highly-anticipated footage

Disappointed with the video: Twitter user Josh Harris, from Boston , wrote: 'They should rename #EatenAlive alive to look for snakes for 1.5 hours and then Try to be eaten alive but only get a scratch on my arm'

Criticism: Meanwhile, Connor McCarthy, from Pennsylvania, tweeted: 'I hope Paul is happy despite letting an entire nation down. I can't believe he can show his face on tv right now. What a wuss #EatenAlive'

'A complete waste of time': And Stacey Taylor, from Ontario, Canada, said: '#EatenAlive complete waste of my time you didn't even get eaten alive you cant call a show eaten alive and not get eaten by your anaconda!'

Dear Paul Rosolie of #EatenAlive You Had One Job. — Aaron Sagers (@aaronsagers) December 8, 2014

Next time I watch something called #EatenAlive, somebody better get eaten alive. — Casey Pratt (@CaseyPrattCSN) December 8, 2014

Discovery letting me think Paul gets eaten by a snake and then not letting that happen is the reason I have trust issues. #EatenAlive — Zac Dalpe (@ZacDalpe22) December 8, 2014

In response to the complaints, Mr Rosolie has claimed that he carried out the risky move in a bid to raise money to save the snake's habitat in South America - and that the animal was not harmed.

'I wanted to do something to grab people’s attention to the plight of the disappearing rainforests, something completely crazy,' he said earlier this month. ‘Everything else has been tried.’

During the documentary, aired at 9pm in the US, Mr Rosolie also explained how he had tracked down that particular snake after surviving being seized and dragged into deep water by it in 2008.

Since the incident, he had been 'obsessed' with capturing the beast, he said.

Before the stunt last spring, Mr Rosolie and his team of naturalists spent 60 days struggling up to the headwaters of the world’s largest river, battling electric eels, floods and poachers.

Getting suited up: The footage, which had been plugged on TV and online for months, was aired despite protests from conservationists on both sides of the Atlantic, many of whom deemed the stunt 'cruel'

Protective gear: In order to avoid being crushed, Mr Rosolie was forced to wear a lightweight, strong carbon-fibre suit that fit his frame closely. It was created by a team of engineers using special 3D technology

Approach: Mr Rosolie is pictured tentatively approaching the anaconda, whom he first encountered in 2008

While looking for the anaconda, they also started the first scientific study of anacondas in the wild, taking down the weight, length and sex of ones they encountered, the New York Post reported.

In addition to these measurements, they took samples of the creatures' skin to test for mercury, a by-product of the gold-mining industry which is encroaching on their habitat.

Finally, the team came across the green anaconda in the dense foliage of the Peruvian Amazon - an animal they knew would be big enough to swallow Mr Rosolie whole.

'An anaconda can stretch to three times its own girth, so a 20ft snake would easily encompass my shoulders,' said the naturalist, adding: 'If this snake's hungry, she might actually eat me'.

In the documentary, Mr Rosolie, who described the snake's power as akin to 'a team of horses', was filmed suiting up before crawling 'on all fours', pretending to be a wild boar, toward the snake.

On all fours: In the documentary, Mr Rosolie, who described the snake's power as akin to 'a team of horses', was filmed suiting up before crawling 'on all fours', pretending to be a wild boar, toward the snake

Preparing to attack: The naturalist's helmets camera films the anaconda gliding toward his face and body

Predatory: Within seconds, the snake had risen up and struck him in the face, before grabbing his arm

In order to avoid being crushed, he was forced to wear a lightweight, strong carbon-fibre suit that fitted his frame closely. It was created by a team of engineers using 3D technology.

The suit was also streamlined so he would be less likely to damage the snake’s insides, and - crucially for Mr Rosolie - so its material would resist the anaconda’s digestive fluids.

The outfit was equipped with built-in cameras and a radio mic so Mr Rosalie could communicate with his watching team, while the naturalist was given a capsule transmitting his vital signs.

'They knew I’m the type who’ll say, "I’m fine, I’m fine"... until I’m dead,' Mr Rosolie, a New Jersey native who first visited the Amazon at the age of 18, said.

'We had to make sure I didn’t get crushed, but the suit took care of that. But if I was eaten, we were worried what would happen to my breathing system because I could have suffocated very quickly.'

Getting worried: Mr Rosolie shouted: 'She's got all of her weight on me. I mean, I cannot move right now'

Unable to move: 'I'm getting coils over me,' the naturalist could be heard saying as his helmet camera captured the inside of the snake's jaws. 'She's got my arms pinned. She knows there's nothing I can do'

Stunt: The inside of the snake's jaws as it attacked Mr Rosolie (left) and the naturalist's wife, Gowri (right)

Mr Rosolie's suit also comprised a face mask connected to a crush-proof hose that trailed behind him, leading to an three-hour oxygen supply.

After suiting up, Mr Rosolie was filmed approaching the giant anaconda. Within seconds, it had risen up and struck him in the face, before grabbing his arm and coiling itself around his body.

'I'm getting coils over me,' the naturalist could be heard saying as his helmet camera captured the inside of the snake's jaws. 'She's got my arms pinned. She knows there's nothing I can do.'

He then exclaimed: 'Oh god,' prompting his concerned wife to ask: 'Paul, are you ok?' Several tense seconds later, Mr Rosolie replied: 'I'm ok', yet his heart rate had noticeably increased.

'Paul, your heart rate is getting pretty high and your breathing is really labored,' one of the team members could be heard telling him. He replied: 'I'm trying to stay calm.'

Worried: 'Paul, your heart rate is getting pretty high and your breathing is really labored,' one of the team members told Mr Rosolie during the stunt. Above, the naturalist's friends are pictured looking in concern

Taking measurements: The team is seen picking up the giant anaconda prior to the stunt in South America

Footage shows the beast wrapped around the entirety of Mr Rosolie's body as he wriggled on the floor of the rainforest. His team asked whether he could breathe, but he did not reply.

A few seconds later, he told his worried friends: 'Stand by guys, I'm starting to feel like she's consuming me.' The snake then opened its mouth and latched on to Mr Rosolie's head.

Mr Rosolie exclaimed: 'Guys, my face is down,' before shouting: 'I'm calling it, I need help!' as he feels his arm starting to break under the anaconda's grip.

As commanded, the naturalist's team rushed over and wrestled the snake off his body. They later released the animal into the wild and took measurements of its strength from Mr Rosolie's suit.

But because the snake was positioned 'high on the armor', they were unable to 'get a solid reading'.

Predator and prey: Mr Rosolie's bid to be eaten - and rescued before perishing - took filmmakers two years to prepare. Above, the daredevil poses with the anaconda in a publicity shot before the documentary was aired

Speaking of the moment he was 'eaten alive' after the event, Mr Rosalie said: 'The last thing I remember was her mouth open wide and everything went black.'

He added: 'I went limp and let it constrict. All the while I was just thinking: “Eat, eat, eat!" She wrapped around me and I felt my suit cracking and my arms ripping out of their sockets.'

He also revealed that the snake was actually constricting him for an hour before he was rescued.

Mr Rosolie's bid to be eaten - and rescued before perishing - took filmmakers two years to prepare.

They should rename #EatenAlive alive to look for snakes for 1.5 hours and then Try to be eaten alive but only get a scratch on my arm Josh Harris, Twitter user

Their main task was to ensure that the naturalist - who has written the well-received book Mother of God - did not end up like the snake’s usual meals: crushed until he was asphyxiated.

However, over the past few months, the stunt has attracted criticism from campaigners globally.

The campaign group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) judged from early reports of the experiment that the snake was ‘tormented and suffered for the sake of ratings’.

The anaconda would have expended valuable energy in swallowing Mr Rosolie and then regurgitating him, it argued.

However, Mr Rosalie said on the Discovery Channel's website: 'I would not have done this if there were any real chance of hurting or stressing out the snake.'

He added: '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.

Search: The team's main task was to ensure that the naturalist - who has written the book Mother of God - did not end up like the snake’s usual meals: crushed until asphyxiated. Above, Mr Rosalie searches for the snake

Putting the rainforest first: Mr Rosalie said: 'I would not have done this if there were any real chance of hurting or stressing out the snake I’ve seen first-hand how the Amazon Rainforest is being destroyed'

Posing with the snake: '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?' said Mr Rosalie

ANACONDA FACTSSS Anacondas are imposing creatures, easily being the heaviest snake in the world. They can reach around 550lbs (227kgs), which is well over twice the average human weight. And only the reticulated python is longer, with anacondas recorded at 29 feet, or 8.8 meters. Their average length is 20 feet, or six metres. They are not venomous, but are still extremely effective hunters. They hunt their prey - usually wild pigs, tapirs, caimans and fish, but sometimes even jaguars - using sight and heat sensors. Their backward-facing teeth makes it difficult for creatures they hunt to escape. They strike in the blink of an eye and once an animal is in its grip it will coil around it until it's suffocated or crushed to death. Anacondas are usually found lurking in swamps, but sometimes venture into rivers, as they're excellent swimmers. There are four types of anaconda - the green, yellow, dark-spotted and recently discovered Bolivian - which all live in South America. Sources: Tropical Rainforest Facts and Animal Fact Guide. Advertisement

'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?'

Anacondas will bite their prey, such as wild pigs, with teeth that curve backwards - preventing the animal from breaking away. Their power is awe-inspiring, Mr Rosolie said.

Then they will pull their prey - any creature that they can subdue and swallow - into water if they can, wrapping it in coils that crush its bones to make swallowing it easier.

During the documentary, Dr Patrick Krugg explained how the snakes 'real killing forces comes when they start to wrap their coils around their prey'. They swallow their prey headfirst, he said.

Another expert explained how anacondas can open their mouths to almost 180 degrees.

Although anacondas are in fact shy creatures, they can be deadly when roused. Reaching up to 30ft in length, they live in or around water and are far thicker than the pythons of Africa and Asia.

They are not venomous but boast powerful jaws attached by elastic ligaments.