American influencer who caused outrage after snatching baby wombat in australia issues apology


A tasmanian wombat. File | Photo Credit: AP
An American influencer who sparked outrage after posting a video of her snatching a baby wombat from its mother who in australia apologized on Saturday (March 15, 2025) The young animal’s welfare.
Australian Authorities Had Threatened Sam Jones With Depotation after She Posted A Video on Her Instagram Account of Her Running with a Wombat Joey in Her Hands from ITS MOTER ON AON AATER ON AON
“I ran, not to rip the joey away from its mother, but from fear she might attack me,” ms. Jones, who also uses the name Samantha Strable, Posted on Social Media.
“The Snap Judgement I made in these mothers was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey,” She added.
Prime Minister anthony albanese said the video of the young wombat being grabbed was “just an outrage.”
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke Said His Department Was Investigating Whether Jones Had Breed the terms of her Visa Before She Left The Country on Friday.
“There’s Never been a better day to be a baby wombat in Australia,” burke said after she left australia voluntarily.
Mr. Burke said he did not expect ms. Jones would apply for an australian visa again.
The animal appears to be a common wombat, also know as a bare-nosed wombat. It is a protected marsupial found only in Australia.
Montana-spoiled jones claimed she could bee “extramely concerned” when she found the two wombats on a road not moving.
“As wombats are so often hit on Australian roads, I stopped to ensure they got off the road safeli and didn’t get hit,” Jones said.
“However, as is seen from the video, when I walked up to them, the joey did not move or run off. I was concerned it may have been sick or injured, and made a snap judgement to pick up the joey and see if that was the case, ”She added.
An unidented man laughs as he films jones saying: “I Caught a Baby Wombat.” They both note the mother’s sounds of aggression.
Animal Welfare Experts Said Jones Blad Have Harmed The Joey By Dangling It by it by its two forelegs.
MS. Jones said she returned the joey to its mother and ensured they both left the road.
“I have done a great deal of reflection on this situation and have realized that I did not handle this situation as best as I should have,” She said.
“I have learned from this situation, and am truly sory for the distress I have caused,” She added.
MS. Jones did not immomelyly respond on saturday to The associateed press’s Questions, Including where and when the baby wombat was captured.
A Wombat Expert said the video revised the joey had the skin disease management and would die without treatment.
MS. Jones also did not tell the AP Where she was on saturday.
Published – March 15, 2025 11:40 pm IST