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When people think of the world's most fearsome animals, the likes of bears, big cats and sharks often spring to mind.
But one animal expert said that these aren't the creatures we should be most afraid of, and revealed the surprising critters we should really be keeping our eye on.
Viral TikToker and author of the book 100 Animals That Can F***ing End You, Mamadou Ndiaye, said even the humble snail can be a menacing killer and is more likely to cause you harm than a great white.
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"In general snails kill about 200,000 people a year," Ndiaye revealed. "Whenever you say that number it always freaks people out.
"A lot of them have parasites that can be transferred to people, that's what causes [death]."
But your typical garden snail isn't necessarily the type you should be most worried about – a far more predatory one lurks beneath the surface of the ocean.
"The cone snail is one of the more venomous animals on the planet," he continued.
"Their venom is made up of up to 50 different types of toxins, which is why there is no antidote if you get stung by one. You can just manage your symptoms and keep you alive, but there's no antidote."
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And it's not just snails we should be worried about, the 25-year-old chillingly added.
For many people – including Ndiaye, who started making videos about deadly animals during the pandemic – elephants are a firm favourite – but they're not as innocent as they appear.
"A lot of people think elephants are cute and adorable and intelligent. And yeah, they're all those things," Ndiaye added.
"But they're also incredibly dangerous. They kill hundreds of people a year."
Ndiaye added that hyper-intelligent elephants often raid villages in search of food, such as grain or rice – and it's then that the animals target humans.
In a chilling warning, Ndiaye added that elephants truly do never forget and can even perform acts of revenge – so think twice before getting on a tusker's bad side.
Even adorable anteaters and chimps pose a threat to humans and rank among the most dangerous creatures roaming the earth.
"[The anteater is] One of the most surprising dangerous animals. It looks so unintimidating," he said.
"But they have really sharp claws, they can easily tear through skin and flesh, and they've actually killed people.
"They've even killed jaguars."
As for sharks, Ndiaye said we're much more afraid of them than we need to be and that your chances of being killed by one are "extremely low".
"You’re more likely to be killed by a falling vending machine, a coconut falling on your head, or drowning in the bathtub – all these circumstances that you’d never be afraid of," he added.
So next time you venture into the sea, you might be in a lot less danger than you thought – just make sure not to run into a deadly cone snail.
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