Angry mom blasts ‘wild' giant octopus attack on child at aquarium: ‘I'm about to become a menace'
Britney Taryn took her 6-year-old son, Leo, who loves animals and sea life, to the San Antonio Aquarium, where the family members are regulars, last month. But after a giant Pacific octopus in a touch tank latched onto her child, she likely won't be back anytime soon.
The octopus was stuck on the boy for five minutes, and according to Taryn, it took three employees to free him. After the ordeal, he was left with mini suction cup-shaped bruises up the entirety of his arm, reaching up to his shoulder.
When she shared the experience — and the aquarium's alleged lack of communication with her after the fact — on her TikTok account, @britneytaryn, viewers were left shocked by the whole affair.
@britneytaryn
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. Was it affection? Recognition? Or something more dangerous? 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. 🎥 Watch til the end. 💬 Tell me: Was this love or a warning sign? 🧠 Octopus experts, weigh in. #Octopus #AquariumStory #AnimalBondGoneWrong #OctopusBehavior #SeaLife #AnimalInstinct #MarineBiology #ParentingTikTok ♬ original sound – Britney Taryn
'I'm about to become a menace,' she said in the video, referring to the aquarium's reportedly lackluster response in which an employee said the intense suction was just 'octopus kisses' — and clarified that although the species is venomous, they rarely bite.
'Why in the hell would [a giant pacific octopus] be in a touch tank?' wondered one commenter under Taryn's video.
Taryn clarified that despite the 'wild' attack, she's not looking for a Harambe-level response, but she did say that she doesn't 'think it's safe for children, especially when unsupervised by staff' — and she was far from the only one.
The employee says in the video that the cephalopods are so strong, they can move objects — or people, evidently — up to 700 pounds.
Viewers said that she looked 'anxious' trying to get the animal off of her arm, and suggested that it would easily be able to pull a child into the tank, leading to potential injury or drowning.
Britney Taryn shows the injuries suffered by her 6-year-old son, Leo, at the aquarium.
tiktok/@britneytaryn
Others pointed out that octopi are highly intelligent and likely recognized the child.
'Aren't they really smart? Maybe she remembers him and missed him? Doesn't seem like she was trying to harm him,' one user commented under another video.
'Shouldn't be in a touch tank, end of story. It's not an animal that should be allowed to be touched or allowed to touch anyone. It's a safety issue for the animal and people involved, especially a child,' one commenter agreed.
Local viewers chimed in, adding that the aquarium is owned by Christy Covino, the wife of convicted wildlife trafficker Ammon Covino, who owned other controversial animal attractions.
The octo-attack incident occurred at the same aquarium where thieves snatched a shark in broad daylight back in 2018.
A San Antonio Aquarium worker interacts with an octopus in a tank.
tiktok/@sanantonio_aquarium
The bandits made off with the 1½-foot horn shark and smuggled it out of the venue by disguising it as a baby in a stroller — and staff didn't notice the little bundle of joy, named Ms. Helen, was missing until 45 minutes later.
After several days, Ms. Helen was found alive and was later returned to the aquarium.
'Luckily, the thief was someone who knew what he was doing,' Leon Valley Police Chief Joseph Salvaggio told local news station KABB TV, and aquarium officials agreed that it was 'thriving' while living life in the outside world.
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