Texas Aquarium Defends Octopus After It Left 6-Year-Old Boy Covered in Bruises— and Claims Mom 'Leaned' Him Over Barrier

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'In this instance, the guest leaned her child over the exhibit barrier, allowing him to reach into the habitat without staff supervision,' a rep for the Aquarium told PEOPLENEED TO KNOW
The San Antonio Aquarium has responded after a 6-year-old boy was left covered in bruises from an encounter with a giant Pacific octopus
The San Antonio Aquarium said "The octopus displayed typical, curious behavior by touching and holding the child's arm"
The aquarium claims the mother of six-year-old son Leo "leaned her child over the exhibit barrier, allowing him to reach into the habitat without staff supervision"The San Antonio Aquarium is defending its giant Pacific octopus after it left a 6-year-old boy's arm covered in bruises.
The incident occurred during a July 14 visit, which the boy's mom, Britney Taryn, later spoke about in a viral TikTok video. "The octopus starts coming out of the tank, and the reason we don't have pictures or videos of this is because my friend was also freaking out," she recalled at the time, adding that the octopus wrapped itself around Leo's arm and was "not letting go."
Now the San Antonio Aquarium is addressing the incident. "At the San Antonio Aquarium, the safety and well-being of our guests, staff, and animals are our top priorities," a representative for the aquarium tells PEOPLE.
According to the representative, the octopus exhibit — which is not being described as a touch tank — includes "a 1,000+ gallon habitat intentionally designed with a tall barrier to provide safety for both guests and the animal."
"Reaching the octopus requires a person to lean fully over the wall of the enclosure and reach approximately 24 inches down from the top edge," the representative shares. "In this instance, the guest leaned her child over the exhibit barrier, allowing him to reach into the habitat without staff supervision."
The behavior the octopus displayed towards the boy, says the representative, was "typical, curious behavior by touching and holding the child's arm."
"At no point was the octopus aggressive or attempting to harm the child," the statement continues. "Our staff responded promptly to assist, ensuring the child was safely removed from the interaction. We want to emphasize that our Giant Pacific Octopus is a healthy, well-cared-for animal that thrives in its habitat and does not exhibit harmful behavior toward guests or staff,"
The statement concludes, "Octopuses are highly intelligent and curious creatures, and their interactions with humans are often playful and exploratory. However, as with any animal encounter, there are inherent risks, which is why we have strict protocols in place to ensure safety for all."
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In a new statement to PEOPLE, Taryn reiterates that she does "not blame the octopus." "We understand that its behavior is completely natural," Taryn tells PEOPLE. "Our goal is to advocate for better conditions for the animals and to ensure that they are housed in environments that are safe and appropriate."
Taryn is also addressing the aquarium's claims that she lowered her son closer to the exhibit. "The San Antonio Aquarium's response is not only false; it is defamatory and appears to be a deliberate attempt to divert attention from the serious issues at hand," she says.
"Contrary to the aquarium's claims, no medical attention was offered for my son, and I was not asked to sign an incident report," Taryn tells PEOPLE. "Several other adults were with me at the time and can attest to this. Because blame was never my intent, I only later sent an email solely to formally document the incident out of concern for the animal and the safety of others, but I received no response."
Taryn continues, "Typically, contact with the octopus in that exhibit would only be possible by lifting a child over the glass, something we have done in the past under direct staff instruction. This tank is never staffed, and the public is often left to interact with the animals unsupervised. The only signage provides instructions for a feeding encounter."
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In response to the incident, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is calling for the release of the giant Pacific octopus.
In a statement released on Aug. 1, the organization said, "This slimy facility's exploitative encounters are a recipe for disaster, as injuries abound when timid animals such as octopuses are denied everything natural and important to them and subjected to a barrage of grabbing hands."
The statement continued, "For everyone's sake, PETA is calling on the San Antonio Aquarium to stop forcing wild animals to interact with humans and release this octopus to her natural habitat, if possible, or an accredited facility where she can finally live in peace."
Read the original article on People
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