Crocs Bite Back! ‘The Real Tarzann’ Lampooned in PETA’s New Halloween Costume

For Immediate Release:
September 15, 2025

Contact:
Nicole Perreira 202-483-7382

After notorious animal tormenter Mike Holston—also known as “The Real Tarzann” on social media—posted videos of himself illegally wrestling a crocodile in Australia in a desperate bid for attention, PETA is turning the tables with a new Halloween costume, which comes complete with a hat that reads “Bad Influence” and a plush crocodile who bites back.

The one-of-a-kind getup is available now for preorder in the PETA Shop. All proceeds will benefit PETA’s lifesaving work.

“Crocodiles and other animals can bite back when pushed to their breaking point, and anyone who harasses frightened wildlife risks joining the ranks of the ghouls and ghosts of Halloween,” says PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “With PETA’s new costume, kind people can flip the script on cruel clout-chasers who terrorize animals.”

Authorities in Australia are reportedly investigating Holston’s videos. PETA points out that Holston—who has admitted that he has no meaningful training or education working with wildlife—has a history of violating state wildlife laws. Holston routinely uses animals as props for online content, regularly provoking them and engaging them in reckless, hazardous stunts—putting himself and the animals at risk.

PETA notes that crocodiles vocalize to communicate. The young of some species squeak and grunt, while adult crocodiles can growl, hiss, or roar at each other. Crocodiles are also doting parents, and mother crocodiles will gently carry their babies in their mouths to protect them.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.