Rumors that Survivor may return to Africa for its 17th season have reached a fever pitch online. The rumored location for the first season to be shot in HD is Gabon, or the Gabonese Republic, which is located in western Africa on the Atlantic Ocean and borders the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon. Other locations mentioned, however, have included New Zealand and Madagascar.

The CIA's World Factbook describes Gabon's geography as "arrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south," and says there is a "pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity." Survivor Africa, the show's third season, was the last season to be filmed in a non-tropical location, and although the game play was interesting, watching contestants drink muddy water out of poop-filled ponds didn't exactly thrill everyone.

Tracing vague, unsourced reports from the bowels of message boards is difficult, especially since some people can't be bothered to even spell the country's name correctly, but the Gabon reports seem to have originated from a Reality Fan Forum poster, who wrote on Feb. 18 that the 17th season "will start filming in Gabon, Africa May 11, 2008." The date, at least, is wrong and essentially impossible, as Survivor Micronesia's live finale will air on that day. Earlier, in January, there was discussion on Survivor Sucks about the possibility the show would return to Africa.

Now, though, that seems to be the conclusion most people have reached, and there's a . Even the shockingly ignorant people who incorrectly answer one another's questions on Yahoo are convinced that Gabon is the show's next location. If that's not confirmation, I don't know what is.


[ via RealityBlurred ]

I wouldn't mind for a change in scenery myself. Every single season is a tropical location, it's actually a little boring. I'm not saying it ruins the season or anything like that, (I mean come on, it's just a place) I'm just saying it wouldn't hurt to change.

Anything but Survivor "somewhere in Panama."

The thing is, they need to have warm weather (so the models/actors/actresses can go shirtless or wear bikinis.

They need a place that is not about to over throw the government.

It has to be exotic in the eyes of the viewers.

Finally, they need water (as Survivor is a 90% water challenge game show.) Wasn't the last Survivor Africa the one that the only water was a sludge pit about 1/2 mile from camp? If I remember correctly that really handicapped the season.

Survivor is a 90% water challenge game show in most years. Water is part of its DNA.

All I remember about Africa was that they had a water shed supply (I can't remember how far it was) and they had to have someone watch the fire all night to keep the lions away.

But as far as the game went it didn't really hamper it.

They were right. Survivor Gabon it is!