Woman picks up a pretty seashell. Then she learns it’s poisonous enough to kill 700 people
A TikToker’s beachcombing adventure turned into a viral cautionary tale after she unknowingly picked up one of the deadliest creatures on Earth. Beckylee Rawls was tidepooling in Okinawa, Japan, when she spotted a beautiful, patterned shell that she couldn’t resist picking up. Video of the encounter shows Rawls holding and turning over the shell before returning it to the water. The tiny shell turned out to be home to one of the world's most venomous creatures.
It wasn’t until after the outing that Rawls identified the creature as the cone snail—a predatory gastropod mollusk with enough venom to kill up to 700 people.
Rawls shared her story in a TikTok post from June 11, 2025. Among 27.5 million viewers, commenters were divided between those who knew to avoid the cone snail and those who were relieved to be educated about the tiny killer snail. Many people were as stunned as Rawls had been when they learned that the casual encounter with such a seemingly harmless creature could have led to paralysis within minutes.
“I ain’t even gonna lie, I live for these random facts I learn off TikTok.”
She had no idea the cone snail is one of the deadliest creatures on Earth
Rawls held and shook the shell in her video captioned, “She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s about to pick up the world's deadliest shell that leads to full paralysis in minutes.” Rawls wrote, “⚠️ Last time I ever pick up a cone shell barehanded…”
@beckyleeinoki ⚠️ Last time I ever pick up a cone shell barehanded…storytime coming #conesnail #shelling #oceanlife #venomous #beachcombing ♬ DIM - Yves
IYKYK—oceanheads in the comments shared wisdom in response to Rawls’s experience with the deadly cone snail. Many offered helpful advice for others exploring unfamiliar coastal habitats.
“Shells on the shore wait and see. Shells in the water let them be.”
“As an Australian it has been drilled into me: DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING. Keep your hands and feet to yourself at all times!! ESPECIALLY in the ocean!!! Admire from afar!!”
“If it’s a cone, leave it alone.”
Leave the seashells—and cone snails—alone!
Rawls shared more information about cone snails in subsequent videos and urged viewers to brush up on ocean safety before exploring the beach.
@beckyleeinoki Not all pretty shells are safe to pick up! Know what to look out for this summer!! #conesnail #shelling #beachcombing #oceansafety #marinebiology ♬ original sound - beckylee????
Rawls said the cone snail’s shell is one of her favorite shells to collect, “because the pattern is so stunning.” But she had no idea that if the creature is alive inside, it’s capable of deploying a “harpoon to sting and inject its victims with venom,” leading to full paralysis or fatality.
Commenters emphasized that the beach is home to many creatures who should be left to live in peace.
“You picked up the snails home, it’s defense is to sting. It’s the victim not you. You are the intruder. Enjoy it safely by letting the creatures live in peace. Look, take pictures, DON’T TOUCH.”
“You DO NOT take the shells back home. Their home is the beach ????.”
In her video Rawls mentioned that the cone snail is colloquially referred to as the “cigarette snail.” This is because—according to legend, “you have just enough time after it stings you to light a cigarette before you pass.”
“I have a feeling so many people died before the internet bc how did they know these things ?????”
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