Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), allowed a strange sea creature to suck blood from both his forearms and wrists.

The controversial official shared some images of his visit to the Nez Perce salmon farm in Idaho, where surprisingly, for a few seconds, he allowed some lampreys to feed on his blood.

This marine species lacks jaws, has a certain resemblance to eels and in some communities is described as a marine vampire, as it feeds on the blood of other creatures that inhabit the oceans.

Its modus operandi consists of catching smaller species to which it immediately places its round mouth similar to a suction cup, as it is full of sharp teeth that are embedded in the skin in order to begin extracting blood.

Aware of this, Kennedy Jr. held some lampreys approximately two feet long while they sucked blood from his extremities, which which can be seen in several photographs published on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter.

Although these sea creatures are not used as part of therapeutic treatments, as they can cause injuries or bacterial infections, the 71-year-old official extracted them from a pond and placed them on his forearms and wrists, allowing them to feed on his blood.

Lamprey suckers at the Nez Perce salmon hatchery, wrote Kennedy Jr. as a description of his daring action.

The objective of the official's visit to the salmon and lamprey hatchery was to promote the health and well-being of the tribal communities that traditionally tend to feed on both species.

Until the So far, the head of HHS has not issued any statement about what he expects to benefit his body from losing a few milliliters of blood.

Several centuries ago, Doctors used species like leeches to take advantage of their anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties in sick people, as they believed they could help improve blood circulation and prevent wound necrosis.