Latest news with #GiantPacificOctopus
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Six year old hurt after giant octopus 'climbed out of tank' and grabbed him
Six year old hurt after giant octopus 'climbed out of tank' and grabbed him A mother has shared a video which shows her six-year-old son's arm covered in suction bruises after an octopus grabbed hold of him A six year old boy was left with a mass of bruises after a giant octopus latched onto his arm and refused to release him. (Image: TikTok- Britney Taryn) A six-year-old boy was left with a mass of bruises after a giant octopus latched onto his arm and refused to release him. The boy's mum, Britney Taryn, recounted the harrowing experience in a TikTok video following their visit to the San Antonio Aquarium in Texas on Monday, July 14. Britney explained that her son Leo encountered the giant Pacific octopus at a touch tank, despite having visited the aquarium previously and even interacting with the same creature before. You can read more about world news here. The footage shows her son Leo's arm sporting a series of small, dark purple marks, resembling suction bruises, extending from his wrist up to his armpit. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here . The mother described the octopus as "halfway out the tank, and trying to eat my son". Britney shared how her son, usually calm around animals, alerted her to the situation with an unnerving level of composure: "My son is very level-headed when it comes to animals, so when he had his arm in there, and he starts saying, 'Mom, it's not letting me go - and way too calmly - I'm like, 'Oh, okay,' "So I'm helping him get down from the step and trying to pull him away from the octopus, and that octopus is not letting go." She went on to say: "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." In response to the event, a spokesperson for the aquarium assured PEOPLE magazine that the safety and welfare of visitors, staff, and marine life are always their highest concern. The aquarium has clarified that their octopus exhibit is not a touch tank but rather a "1,000+ gallon habitat intentionally designed with a tall barrier to provide safety for both guests and the animal". The spokesperson added: "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. "In this instance, the guest leaned her child over the exhibit barrier, allowing him to reach into the habitat without staff supervision." The aquarium characterised the octopus's actions as "typical, curious behaviour by touching and holding the child's arm" and emphasised that there was no aggression or intent to harm the child. The statement read: "Our staff responded promptly to assist, ensuring the child was safely removed from the interaction." They also highlighted that their Giant Pacific Octopus is in good health, receives proper care, and does not exhibit harmful behaviour towards visitors or staff. The statement concluded with: "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." Photos captured the octopus climbing out of the tank at the San Antonio Aquarium (Image: Google Maps ) Britney shared with PEOPLE her understanding that she does "not blame the octopus" and recognises its behaviour as "completely natural". She further stated: "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." The mother also disputed the aquarium's assertion that she had lowered her son towards the exhibit, labelling it "false and defamatory" and accusing them of trying to shift focus from more pressing concerns. She asserted: "No medical attention was offered for my son, and I was not asked to sign an incident report. Several other adults were with me at the time and can attest to this." Britney mentioned that she subsequently contacted the aquarium via email to report the incident, motivated by concerns for animal welfare and public safety, but did not receive a reply. Britney remarked: "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." Following the event, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has urged for the release of the giant Pacific octopus. In a statement on August 1, PETA 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." Article continues below It urged the aquarium to cease forcing wild animals into human interactions and to release the octopus either back into its natural habitat or to an accredited sanctuary where it can live peacefully.
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Octopus 'climbs out of aquarium tank' and 'tries to eat boy, 6,' in front of mum
The mother of a six-year-old boy has spoken out after a giant Pacific octopus grabbed his arm during a visit to an aquarium and left him covered in purple bruises A six-year-old boy was left covered in bruises after an enormous octopus grabbed his arm and wouldn't let go. Britney Taryn, the boy's mother, spoke about the incident, which occurred during a July 14 visit to the San Antonio Aquarium, Texas, in a TikTok video. According to Britney, the giant Pacific octopus attached itself to her son Leo's arm while he was at a touch tank. She added that they had visited the aquarium before and even met the same octopus in the past. It comes after 'UK's most dangerous plant' leaves a toddler in A&E with second-degree burns. In the video, her son's arm is covered in small, dark purple suction bruises running from his wrist to his armpit. She said the octopus was "halfway out the tank, and trying to eat my son". 'My son is very level-headed when it comes to animals, so when he had his arm in there, and he starts saying, 'Mom, it's not letting me go - and way too calmly - I'm like, 'Oh, okay,'' Britney said. 'So I'm helping him get down from the step and trying to pull him away from the octopus, and that octopus is not letting go.' Britney continued: '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.' A spokesperson for the aquarium told PEOPLE: 'The safety and well-being of our guests, staff, and animals are our top priorities.' They emphasised that the octopus exhibit is not a touch tank but 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 added. "In this instance, the guest leaned her child over the exhibit barrier, allowing him to reach into the habitat without staff supervision." The aquarium described the octopus's actions as 'typical, curious behaviour by touching and holding the child's arm' and said it was never aggressive or trying to harm the child. 'Our staff responded promptly to assist, ensuring the child was safely removed from the interaction,' the statement said. They also stressed that their Giant Pacific Octopus was healthy, well cared for, and does not display harmful behaviour toward visitors or staff. The statement concluded: '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.' Britney told PEOPLE that she does 'not blame the octopus' and understands its behaviour as 'completely natural'. She added, '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.' Britney also refuted the aquarium's claim that she lowered her son closer to the exhibit, calling it 'false and defamatory' and a deliberate attempt to divert attention from serious issues. She claimed: 'No medical attention was offered for my son, and I was not asked to sign an incident report. Several other adults were with me at the time and can attest to this.' She said she later emailed the aquarium to document the incident out of concern for animal welfare and public safety but received no response. Britney added: '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.' In response to the incident, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called for the release of the giant Pacific octopus. In a statement on August 1, PETA 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.' It urged the aquarium to stop forcing wild animals to interact with humans and to release the octopus either to its natural habitat or an accredited facility where it can live in peace.
Hindustan Times
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Mother of boy grabbed by octopus says aquarium account is 'false, defamatory'
A mother in Texas is raising concerns after a Giant Pacific Octopus at the San Antonio Aquarium latched onto her 6-year-old son's arm and refused to let go, leaving behind visible bruises. The incident, which occurred on July 14, has gone viral on TikTok and sparked debate over animal interactions in public aquariums. An octopus reportedly attacked a six-year-old boy during an interactive exhibit last month at the San Antonio Aquarium,(Representative image/Unsplash) Long-time visitor, familiar octopus Britney Taryn, the mother of the child, said in her TikTok video that her son Leo has been visiting the aquarium regularly for over four years. He's also interacted with the same octopus, named Cthulhu, many times. According to her, guests have always been allowed to touch the animal, and Leo had developed a bond with it. 'They're allowed to touch them, and it's welcomed,' Taryn said in her TikTok video, which has garnered over 3 million views. She also shared an older photo of Leo gently petting the octopus in November 2024. 'It's not letting me go' During their most recent visit, Taryn noticed the octopus had grown significantly and was behaving differently. While Cthulhu usually placed its tentacles on Leo before releasing him, this time was different. 'Mom, it's not letting me go,' Leo reportedly said as the octopus tightened its grip. (Also read: TikToker details how her 6-year-old was 'attacked by Octopus' at San Antonio Aquarium | Watch) Taryn described the moment as alarming. She tried to help Leo pull away, but the animal didn't let go and even began rising out of the tank. 'We start freaking out because that octopus is now bigger than my 6-year-old,' she said. 'Is it going to engulf him and In her video, Taryn showed the series of bruises that the octopus left on her 6-year-old's arm. 'My son has visited the same octopus every week for 3 years. She always loved him until today, when she tried to pull him into the tank. It took 3 aquarium employees to get her off,' she wrote on TikTok. 'We thought it was a sweet animal bond… until it left bruises. And when we walked back later, she changed color the second she saw him,' the Texas mum added. Aquarium defends octopus In response to the viral video, the San Antonio Aquarium issued a statement to local outlet KSAT, claiming Taryn 'leaned her child over the exhibit barrier, allowing him to reach into the habitat without staff supervision.' The aquarium also said Leo remained calm and that medical assistance was offered, though declined. The aquarium noted that an incident report had been completed and signed by the mother. Taryn strongly disputed the statement, calling it 'false' and 'defamatory.' She said she was never offered medical help, nor asked to sign any report, and pointed out that multiple adults were present with her and could confirm this. Full statement from aquarium "At the San Antonio Aquarium, the safety and well-being of our guests, staff, and animals are our top priorities. We are aware of recent statements regarding an interaction between a guest and our Giant Pacific Octopus during a visit to our facility. We would like to provide clarity on the incident and address any concerns. During the visit, a guest and her child engaged with our octopus exhibit. The octopus exhibit is 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. Feeding interactions are strictly allowed only with staff supervision, as indicated by posted signage on the exhibit which states guests must follow all rules and instructions. In this instance, the guest leaned her child over the exhibit barrier, allowing him to reach into the habitat without staff supervision. The octopus displayed typical, curious behavior by touching and holding the child's arm. At no point was the octopus aggressive or attempting to harm the child. Our staff responded promptly to assist, ensuring the child was safely removed from the interaction. The child remained calm throughout, and medical assistance was offered but declined by the mother. An incident report was completed and signed by the mother at the time of the event. 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. 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. The San Antonio Aquarium remains committed to providing safe, educational, and memorable experiences for all visitors while maintaining the highest standards of care for our animals. We encourage all guests to follow posted guidelines and staff instructions to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit." What the mother claims Taryn said interactions like these are not supervised, and the only signage on the tank has to do with feeding instructions, not safety. '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 said in a written statement to KSAT. 'Contrary to the aquarium's claims, no medical attention was offered for my son, and I was not asked to sign an incident report. 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. '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. 'However, during this incident, the octopus was already near the glass, which I have documented on video. My son was able to reach it without assistance. This interaction revealed behaviors we had not witnessed before. 'With the guidance of multiple experts, we have since learned that these behaviors are consistent with senescence, the natural decline that occurs near the end of an octopus's life, and that neither the tank setup nor the nature of public interaction aligns with the AZA's standards for Giant Pacific octopus care,' said Taryn.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Mom, it's not letting me go': Mom says octopus latched on to her son
A Texas mom is concerned after she says an octopus at the San Antonio Aquarium left bruises on her 6-year-old son's arm. According to the mother, Britney Taryn, the aquarium has always allowed guests to touch the octopus, dating back to November of 2024. Her son has visited the octopus, a Giant Pacific Octopus named Cthulhu, many times. 'They're allowed to touch them, and it's welcomed,' she said in a video she posted to TikTok about the incident, which has since gone viral. 'He would sit there and touch and talk to the octopus until we cut him off.' During the visit in question, Taryn and her son noticed the octopus had grown quite a bit since they last saw it, and its behavior had changed. While the octopus usually put its tentacles on her son and then released him, that's not what happened on July 14. 'Mom, it's not letting me go,' her son said that day. As Taryn tried to help her son step away from the tank, the octopus still wouldn't relent and even began coming out of the tank, she said. 'We start freaking out because that octopus is now bigger than my 6-year-old,' she said. 'So if we have this octopus outside of the water, is it going to engulf him and swallow him whole? I don't know.' It took three employees with ice packs to get the octopus off her son, she said in the video. The ordeal left her son's heart racing, and his arm was covered in purple tentacle marks. Taryn said her son is OK. 'This was honestly the coolest experience to him,' she said. 'He is so excited, but I don't know. Should I be more concerned? Should I be worried?' USA TODAY has reached out to the aquarium for comment. Employee initially thought octopus was being 'playful' According to Taryn, there were no employees around initially. Then one walked up and witnessed what was happening. 'He's like, 'Oh, isn't she playful today?'' Taryn recalled. 'This octopus is halfway out the tank trying to eat my son, but yeah, playful, sure.' The employee tried unsuccessfully to get the animal off the boy, then used his radio to call for ice packs. Two people came running in with ice packs, placing them on the animal, Taryn said. 'The octopus is suctioning and releasing the other employees, but it's not letting go of my kid,' she said. 'More and more tentacles start to envelop his arm.' The three employees were then able to free her son from the octopus' grip. 'She recognized him': Octupus can recognize humans they interact with Taryn and her son left the aquarium and eventually went back because he wanted to check on the animal, she said. They had to wait for a crowd of people to clear the area, then once her son got closer to the octopus, she noticed a reaction that took her aback. The octopus, which normally appeared reddish-brown, began to take on a color she'd never seen before. '(The octopus) made eye contact with my son and immediately … started to change colors and come close to him,' she said, adding that the animal turned white. She later went home and researched octopus behavior, and what read saw was alarming. 'Since this octopus is getting up there in years, I read that it can start becoming super erratic or clingy,' she said. 'She recognized him … it seems like she has a heightened emotional response to him.' She said she was worried about the animal's emotional regulation, and also that another child may have a similar issue with the octopus. Although her son handled the situation calmly, other kids may not and they may hurt the animal, she said. But researchers say the animals are curious and can remember things. "They can also recognize people and actually like some more than others," wrote team members at the Max Delbrück Center, a research center in Germany. "Researchers now believe that they even dream, since they change their color and skin structures while sleeping." Aquarium explains behavior of octupus Nearly two weeks after the incident, the San Antonio Aquarium did not directly address the situation but did share an educational video of an employee working with Cthulhu the octopus. According to the employee, Cthulhu's suction is a strong, "amazing" tool she uses to crawl and pry things open. Calling the suction cups "bundles of nerves," she said the suction cups can move independently and allow the animals to taste food and move heavy objects. Some octopuses have about 200 suction cups per arm. The employee added that the octopus is intelligent and gets excited during mealtime, noting how she tried to pry a shrimp out of the employee's hand. Throughout the video, viewers can see the octopus inching up the employee's arm with her tentacles. As the animals try to get hold of food or other items, the suction cups create "hickeys" or "octopus kisses" that are normal for strong, curious animals, the employee said. "Blood comes up to the surface of your skin,' the employee said. 'She's not trying to be harmful in any manner." How the bruises show depends on an octopus' complexion, age and the thickness of its skin. They disappear within one to two weeks, the worker said. In another video featuring the employee working with the octopus, she laughed as she tried to get the octopus off her arm. Viewers tagged Taryn in the clip. "Now imagine that that is a 6-year-old," Taryn said. Outside of the initial video that went viral, Taryn is continuing to post about the experience on TikTok to bring awareness to others. Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Octopus grabs boy's arm at aquarium at San Antonio Aquarium, mom says
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Mom, it's not letting me go': Mom says octopus latched on to her son
A Texas mom is concerned after she says an octopus at the San Antonio Aquarium left bruises on her 6-year-old son's arm. According to the mother, Britney Taryn, the aquarium has always allowed guests to touch the octopus, dating back to November of 2024. Her son has visited the octopus, a Giant Pacific Octopus named Cthulhu, many times. 'They're allowed to touch them, and it's welcomed,' she said in a video she posted to TikTok about the incident, which has since gone viral. 'He would sit there and touch and talk to the octopus until we cut him off.' During the visit in question, Taryn and her son noticed the octopus had grown quite a bit since they last saw it, and its behavior had changed. While the octopus usually put its tentacles on her son and then released him, that's not what happened on July 14. 'Mom, it's not letting me go,' her son said that day. As Taryn tried to help her son step away from the tank, the octopus still wouldn't relent and even began coming out of the tank, she said. 'We start freaking out because that octopus is now bigger than my 6-year-old,' she said. 'So if we have this octopus outside of the water, is it going to engulf him and swallow him whole? I don't know.' It took three employees with ice packs to get the octopus off her son, she said in the video. The ordeal left her son's heart racing, and his arm was covered in purple tentacle marks. Taryn said her son is OK. 'This was honestly the coolest experience to him,' she said. 'He is so excited, but I don't know. Should I be more concerned? Should I be worried?' USA TODAY has reached out to the aquarium for comment. Employee initially thought octopus was being 'playful' According to Taryn, there were no employees around initially. Then one walked up and witnessed what was happening. 'He's like, 'Oh, isn't she playful today?'' Taryn recalled. 'This octopus is halfway out the tank trying to eat my son, but yeah, playful, sure.' The employee tried unsuccessfully to get the animal off the boy, then used his radio to call for ice packs. Two people came running in with ice packs, placing them on the animal, Taryn said. 'The octopus is suctioning and releasing the other employees, but it's not letting go of my kid,' she said. 'More and more tentacles start to envelop his arm.' The three employees were then able to free her son from the octopus' grip. 'She recognized him': Octupus can recognize humans they interact with Taryn and her son left the aquarium and eventually went back because he wanted to check on the animal, she said. They had to wait for a crowd of people to clear the area, then once her son got closer to the octopus, she noticed a reaction that took her aback. The octopus, which normally appeared reddish-brown, began to take on a color she'd never seen before. '(The octopus) made eye contact with my son and immediately … started to change colors and come close to him,' she said, adding that the animal turned white. She later went home and researched octopus behavior, and what read saw was alarming. 'Since this octopus is getting up there in years, I read that it can start becoming super erratic or clingy,' she said. 'She recognized him … it seems like she has a heightened emotional response to him.' She said she was worried about the animal's emotional regulation, and also that another child may have a similar issue with the octopus. Although her son handled the situation calmly, other kids may not and they may hurt the animal, she said. But researchers say the animals are curious and can remember things. "They can also recognize people and actually like some more than others," wrote team members at the Max Delbrück Center, a research center in Germany. "Researchers now believe that they even dream, since they change their color and skin structures while sleeping." Aquarium explains behavior of octupus Nearly two weeks after the incident, the San Antonio Aquarium did not directly address the situation but did share an educational video of an employee working with Cthulhu the octopus. According to the employee, Cthulhu's suction is a strong, "amazing" tool she uses to crawl and pry things open. Calling the suction cups "bundles of nerves," she said the suction cups can move independently and allow the animals to taste food and move heavy objects. Some octopuses have about 200 suction cups per arm. The employee added that the octopus is intelligent and gets excited during mealtime, noting how she tried to pry a shrimp out of the employee's hand. Throughout the video, viewers can see the octopus inching up the employee's arm with her tentacles. As the animals try to get hold of food or other items, the suction cups create "hickeys" or "octopus kisses" that are normal for strong, curious animals, the employee said. "Blood comes up to the surface of your skin,' the employee said. 'She's not trying to be harmful in any manner." How the bruises show depends on an octopus' complexion, age and the thickness of its skin. They disappear within one to two weeks, the worker said. In another video featuring the employee working with the octopus, she laughed as she tried to get the octopus off her arm. Viewers tagged Taryn in the clip. "Now imagine that that is a 6-year-old," Taryn said. Outside of the initial video that went viral, Taryn is continuing to post about the experience on TikTok to bring awareness to others. Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Octopus grabs boy's arm at aquarium at San Antonio Aquarium, mom says Solve the daily Crossword
