A TikToker has captured herself just minutes away from death after unknowingly picking up one of Earth’s deadliest creatures.
While it might sound like the stuff of nightmares, it was a reality for one unsuspecting TikToker who filmed herself picking up shells at the beach.
Beckylee Rawls shared the footage on the social media platform where she can be seen walking along the sand on a beach in Okinawa, Japan, before picking up a shell.
Showing the shell to the camera, she then places it back, not realizing until later that things could have become very deadly.
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In the TikTok caption, it read: “Last time I ever pick up a cone shell barehanded…”
Many people were shocked to see that this particular shell houses a deadly snail.
In a separate video, Beckylee explained, saying: “Yep, that was me picking up a marbled cone snail – one of the deadliest creatures on Earth. Had no idea.
“I was out tidepooling in Okinawa, Japan, and I came across this shell.
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“As you can see, it's one of my favourite shells to collect because the pattern is so stunning.
“So I pick up the shell and that's when I noticed the shell's alive, and the black and white tube you see is the snail's siphon which it breathes out of.
“This is also the end of the snail that shoots a harpoon to sting and inject its victims with venom.
“I was playing with the most venomous creature in the ocean that can lead to full paralysis or fatality.
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“I hope my story spreads awareness that not all pretty shells are harmless.”
Many people took to the TikTok comment section to share their own reactions to the clip, with one user writing: “Cone snails are one of the deadliest animals out there; I’m hoping you’re fully recovered.”
Another said: “I DID THIS AND PROCEEDED TO HAND IT AROUND TO MY WHOLE FAMILY EXCEPT MY LITTLE SISTER. My youngest sister refused to touch it because she said she saw it on a documentary and we didn't believe her.”
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A third person commented: “What the hell? How are we supposed to know all these things?!”
And a fourth added: “They are all over Florida and Hawaii. never touch a cone shell in the water.”
All 700 species of cone snails are extremely venomous and can usually be found in the Pacific Ocean as well as the South China Sea and Australia.