00:00Why do you have to cut the meat out of this shell in the blink of an eye?
00:03This is a brilliant abalone, a rare species of sea snail.
00:07Its most striking feature is its round cap, which is as hard as rock and shimmers like a pearl.
00:13But this creature has a hair-trigger defense mechanism.
00:16The moment it senses danger, the abalone snaps its shell tightly shut.
00:20Because of this, the handler must wait patiently for the abalone to relax.
00:24Then, in a split second, a knife is slipped inside to separate the powerful muscle from the shell.
00:30Once the meat is removed, the stunning shell is often transformed into delicate jewelry.
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