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One of the main attractions at the San Antonio Aquarium is the octopus. But the creature, which is known as a Pacific octopus, has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. In the video, which was posted on the aquarium’s official account, the octopus suctions and wraps its tentacles around an employee’s arm, which was submerged in the touch tank. As the employee continues to give facts about octopuses, the creature continues to wrap around her arm and appears to pull her closer into the tank.
Some viewers even made their own TikToks about this incident. For instance, in one commentary TikTok about this video, user @zjsoap says, “Girl, that octopus is trying to kill you. … She keeps putting her arm in the octopus tank to show how safe it is for kids, for toddlers to come. And that octopus is trying to take her inside.”
“This is a lawsuit waiting to happen,” she adds. The original video amassed 649,800 views. Zjsoap didn’t immediately respond to Bro Bible’s request for comment via TikTok comment.
Commenters Chime In
In the comments of the video, one user shared their own experience at the aquarium.
“I can confirm that the octopus at the San Antonio aquarium was aggressive when we went,” they wrote. “That thing didn’t wanna let me go”
“Don’t blame the octopus,” another added. “The octopus didn’t ask to be a showcase.”
While a third wrote, “I could not imagine telling my kids, go ahead and touch it! Like noooooo you can see where she is even scared at times in the eyes.”
Seemingly, this apparent attempt at good publicity wasn’t enough to quash concerns about the aquarium. Several commenters made reference to that same octopus allegedly attacking a child.
A Dangerous Past?
Indeed, earlier in the month, aquarium guest Britney Taryn (@britneytaryn) went on TikTok to warn others about that same octopus, arguing that she doesn’t “think it’s safe for children, especially when unsupervised by staff.”
She shared footage of suction-shaped bruises on her 6-year-old’s arm, which she claims appeared after he put his arm in the touch tank. The octopus, she says, wrapped its tentacles around her son’s arm, with a member of staff purportedly dismissing it as “octopus kisses.” In total, she claims that the octopus was attached to her son for five minutes, and that it took three staff members to get the creature off the boy. Taryn also blasted the aquarium for not following up with her after the incident.
“I’m about to become a menace,” she said.
Taryn told BroBible via email that her family does “not blame the octopus.” She also shared the steps they are taking to “address the broader issues of animal welfare at this facility.”
“We understand that its behavior is completely natural. 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. We are actively working with animal rights organizations and reaching out to congressmen … with the hope of creating lasting change and better lives for these animals!”
The aquarium didn’t immediately respond to BroBible’s request for comment via contact form.
Content shared from brobible.com.