Influencer Faces Backlash After Wild Wombat Incident

Sam Jones, an influencer who filmed herself interacting with a wild baby wombat, has expressed remorse after receiving thousands of death threats, igniting discussions on animal welfare and culling laws in Australia.

A US influencer, Sam Jones, is facing intense backlash after a video surfaced showing her taking a wild baby wombat from its distressed mother in Australia. The incident, which prompted thousands of death threats against her, has sparked a national debate on animal welfare.

Jones, who claims to be an “outdoor enthusiast and hunter,” was filmed picking up the joey on the roadside while laughing and running to a car, with the mother wombat in pursuit. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded to the situation, daring her to “take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there.”

In a lengthy Instagram post, Jones expressed her regret over the incident, stating she attempted to move the animals to safety. She asserts that the mother wombat had left the road, while the baby remained, and her actions were prompted by fear of being attacked. “The snap judgement I made in these moments was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey,” she wrote. She clarified that the act was not staged or meant for entertainment and admitted she acted too hastily during the excitement.

In her statement, Jones also criticized Australia's animal culling laws, which include regulations concerning wombats, kangaroos, and other native species. This has further fueled the public anger regarding the treatment of Australian wildlife.

In response to the outrage, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke commented that his department is reviewing the possibility of revoking Jones's visa. However, it has been reported that she left Australia voluntarily. With nearly 95,000 followers on Instagram, Jones, who also operates under the name Samantha Strable, has since deleted the controversial post.