US Influencer Sparks Outrage After Taking Baby Wombat from Mother

 

US Influencer Sparks Outrage After Taking Baby Wombat from Mother

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has joined a growing wave of criticism against a US influencer whose video showing her removing a baby wombat from its distressed mother has enraged conservationists.

Albanese suggested that Sam Jones, the woman at the center of the controversy, should attempt the same with animals capable of defending themselves: "Take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there."

Jones, who describes herself as an "outdoor enthusiast and hunter," was caught on camera lifting the joey from the roadside and sprinting towards a car, while its mother frantically pursued them.

In the footage, the man recording can be heard laughing: "Look at the mother, it's chasing after her!" The video, originally filmed in Australia, has since been deleted.

'For holding a wombat, thousands threatened my life'

A US influencer filmed removing a baby wombat from its distressed mother in Australia has issued an apology, stating that she is "truly sorry" while also revealing she has received thousands of death threats over the incident.

Sam Jones, who refers to herself as an "outdoor enthusiast and hunter," was seen in the clip picking up the joey at the roadside, laughing as she ran to a car while the mother wombat gave chase.

The act ignited widespread backlash, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese challenging her with: "Take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there."

In a detailed Instagram statement, Jones explained that her intention was to ensure the animals' safety and remove them from potential danger on the road.

According to Jones, as seen in the footage, the mother left the road, but the joey remained behind, prompting her to scoop it up. She claims she ran across the road "not to rip the joey away from its mother, but from fear she might attack me."

"The snap judgement I made in these moments was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey," her statement read.

She clarified that the footage was "not staged, nor was it done for entertainment," adding that in the heat of the moment, she "acted too quickly and failed to provide necessary context to viewers online."

In the latter portion of her statement, Jones shifted her focus to criticizing Australia's animal culling laws, which include regulations affecting wombats, kangaroos, deer, pigs, and horses.

Australia enforces various culling policies that often stir public debate and controversy.

While wombats are a protected species in Australia, government permits can be issued allowing culling under certain circumstances.

An online petition advocating for Jones's deportation quickly amassed over 40,000 signatures. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed that his department was assessing whether her visa could be revoked. However, reports indicate that Jones voluntarily departed the country.

Jones, also known as Samantha Strable, has an Instagram following exceeding 95,000.

Wildlife conservationists strongly condemned Jones's "appalling" actions, warning that they could have had serious consequences for the animals involved.

The Wombat Protection Society expressed shock over what it described as the "mishandling of a wombat joey in an apparent snatch for 'social media likes.'"

"[She] then placed the vulnerable baby back onto a country road - potentially putting it at risk of becoming roadkill," the group stated, adding that it remains unclear whether the joey was successfully reunited with its mother.

"I caught a baby wombat," Jones can be heard saying in the video, while the joey struggles in her grasp, making hissing sounds.

The man filming can be heard laughing: "Look at the mother, it's chasing after her!"

Her caption in the since-deleted post read: "My dream of holding a wombat has been realised! Baby and mom slowly waddled back off together into the bush."

In response to criticism, Jones wrote in the comments: "The baby was carefully held for one minute in total and then released back to mom."

"They wandered back off into the bush together completely unharmed. I don't ever capture wildlife that will be harmed by my doing so."

Animal rights organisations have also denounced Jones's actions. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) described the video as "wildlife-exploiting content" and urged people to "stop treating wildlife as a prop."