A mom in Texas is raising questions after an octopus at the San Antonio Aquarium latched onto her 6-year-old son’s arm for 5 minutes.

San Antonio

A mother in Texas is calling for increased attention to animal and visitor safety after an octopus at the San Antonio Aquarium latched onto her six-year-old son's arm. The incident occurred during a touch tank interaction, which the family had participated in for several years without issue. The child was unharmed, sustaining only minor bruise-like marks that faded within a week. 

Following the event, the mother learned that the aquarium does not hold accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), a voluntary certification considered a symbol of quality animal care. The aquarium described the octopus's actions as typical curious behavior. The mother has since advocated for stricter safety measures and reconsideration of public interactions with animals.

Octopus latches onto child’s arm at aquarium

We really wanted to tell the world that we don't blame this octopus, we want to see it in a better environment. A mom in Texas is calling for more attention to animal and visitor safety after an octopus at the San Antonio Aquarium latched onto her child's arm in July. He never set out with the intention of the octopus grabbing onto his entire arm. It was always supposed to be a two finger touch, but the octopus is the one that came to him. Brittany Terran said she and her six-year-old son, Leo, have been visiting the octopus in the aquarium and its touch tank for more than three years. When we first went there and realized there was an octopus, he was obsessed. But she noticed something different about the octopus's behavior the day of the incident. Instead of being in any sort of like wall or like down in the water, it was out, like completely out right there for everybody. It was just, we'd never seen behavior like that from this octopus. The San Antonio Aquarium sent a statement to CNN affiliate KSAT, reading in part, quote, The octopus displayed typical curious behavior by touching and holding the child's arm. CNN has asked the aquarium for further comment, but we have not gotten a response. Yeah, if this kid was not as calm as he was, this could have ended badly both for the kid and for the octopus. If that attendant didn't stop this interaction before it got to this point, that's also just as bad as not having someone there. Terran said it took about five minutes to get the octopus off Leo's arm and that the animal's suckers left harmless bruise-like marks that went away within a week. This has never been about my child being harmed. He thinks this is the coolest experience of his entire life. After her post about the incident got almost four million views on TikTok, I'm pretty sure when I tell you what this is on my son's arm, you're not going to believe me. She found out the zoo does not have an AZA accreditation for animal welfare. The AZA, or Association of Zoos and Aquariums, provides certifications to about 250 facilities in the country to ensure quality animal care and welfare. AZA is a voluntary association that comes with regular inspection and is considered a symbol of quality, but is not mandatory. I also think that they shouldn't be allowing interactions from the public at all. There's dangers to the octopus and there's dangers to the public.

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