A US influencer has sparked controversy and outrage in Australia after she was seen grabbing a baby wombat from its mother on a road.
Sam Jones, a hunting influencer, left the country on Friday, after home affairs minister Tony Burke confirmed that immigration authorities were investigating whether she had breached the conditions of her visa.
The incident, which occurred earlier this week, led to widespread condemnation. On Saturday, Jones took to Instagram to post a 900-word apology, claiming she was acting out of concern for the wombat's safety. "I was extremely concerned when I found the wombats on the road, and stopped to ensure they were not hit by a car," she wrote.
"When I walked up to the baby and it did not move, I thought it may have been sick or injured, so I decided to pick up the wombat to check."
Jones emphasized that her intentions were not malicious, stating, “I ran, not to rip the joey away from its mother, but from fear she might attack me. The snap judgment I made in these moments was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey." She assured followers that after checking on the baby wombat, she returned it to its mother and made sure they both safely left the road.
In the lengthy post, Jones also addressed the backlash, explaining that the incident was never staged for social media content.
“I want to make it absolutely clear that this was never about social media or getting likes. This was not staged, nor was it done for entertainment. In my excitement and concern, I acted too quickly and then failed to provide necessary context to viewers online."
Despite the apology, Jones's actions remain the subject of intense criticism. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the act, calling it “an outrage” and jokingly suggested Jones try taking a baby crocodile from its mother.
Additionally, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) condemned the act, pointing out the distress caused to both the joey and the mother wombat. “The footage shows a blatant disregard for native wildlife, and the distress caused to the joey and the mother was clear,” an RSPCA spokesperson said.
Jones, who was targeted with thousands of death threats following the incident, also questioned the outrage in a country where “slaughter of wombats” is allowed. She pointed out that, under Australian law, harming a wombat is only permitted if a permit is obtained, though hunting and culling practices remain controversial.
Jones has since expressed regret for how she handled the situation and acknowledged that her actions were not appropriate.
As authorities continue to investigate whether Jones violated the terms of her visa, the story continues to fuel debate on social media and beyond.
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