Octopus 'climbs out of aquarium tank' and 'tries to eat boy, 6,' in front of mum

A six-year-old boy was left covered in bruises after an enormousoctopus 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.”

READ MORE: Woman jailed for leaving eight starving dogs to eat each other in hellhole flat

READ MORE: Two best friends celebrating birthday killed in explosion after lighting candle

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.

READ MORE: Amazon reduces price of ‘stylish’ and ‘powerful’ £100 smartwatch to £23