The Discovery Channel is taking extreme reality television to the next level with its new show “Eaten Alive.” Wildlife filmmaker Paul Rosolie goes where no American television host has gone before and tries to become an anaconda’s next meal.

To make himself enticing to the giant snake, he apparently covered himself in pig’s blood. Sound dangerous? Rosolie wears a snake suit for protection. But it doesn't sound all that safe. “You have to go head-first,” Rosolie says in a clip promoting the program.

It appears Rosolie has been able to survive the encounter, ABC News wrote. He and the snake are both believed to be OK, but not everyone is happy about it. A petition against the special was filed on Change.org to boycott the network.

"The Discovery Channel is now committing animal abuse for creating a show called ‘Eaten Alive.’ A grown man in a ‘special suit’ is planning on being eaten alive by a Green Anaconda. This is animal abuse to the highest degree and absolutely disgusting, and could kill the snake -- an adult green anaconda cannot fit the width of an adult man's shoulders into its body,” the petition read. “I would like everyone to tweet and post to the Human Society so a prominent organization can take action." As of Thursday, nearly 8,000 people signed the petition.

Rosolie took to his apparent Twitter account, which is not verified, to seemingly respond to the negative criticism. “If u know me - I would never hurt a living thing,” he wrote Tuesday. “But you'll have to watch #EatenAlive to find out how it goes down!”

“Eaten Alive” is just another “shock” reality program for Discovery Channel. Discovery also airs “Naked and Afraid,” a show about a pair of survivors who bond without clothing in a remote location, and “Tethered,” where people are bound to each other while they take on survival challenges.

“Eaten Alive” will premiere on Discovery Channel Dec. 7. Check out the trailer, which nearly 2 million people have viewed, below:

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