Influencer Sam Jones is now being investigated for a potential breach of her Australian visa after a ‘callous’ and ‘pretty dreadful’ video saw her grabbing the wombat as it shrieked in fear
A US hunting influencer has sparked outrage after snatching a baby wombat away from its distressed mother to film a video for her Instagram.
Sam Jones, also known as Samantha Strable, is now being investigated for a potential breach of her Australian visa after the “callous” and “pretty dreadful” clip saw her grab the joey as it was walking with its mother at night. Talking to the camera, Jones was heard saying: “I caught a baby wombat”, as the animal shrieked and tried to wiggle itself free.
The mum, visibly distressed, came running after Jones as the baby continued to cry out in fear. The influencer said: “Okay, mum is right there and she is pissed. Let’s let him go.” The man filming her replied: “Nah, he’s all right” before Jones released the wombat near the side of the road where its mother was waiting.
Australia’s Immigration Minister blasted Jones amid an official investigation into whether she has breached her visa and can be deported. Jones had at first defended her actions, claiming she only held the wombat for one minute and did not harm it.
Responding to a barrage of backlash, she wrote: “For everyone that’s worried and unhappy, the baby was carefully held for ONE minute in total and then released back to mum. They wandered back off into the bush together completely unharmed.
“I didn’t think I would be able to catch it in the first place, and took an opportunity to appreciate a really incredible animal up close. I don’t ever capture wildlife that will be harmed by my doing so.”
The incident even saw the Australian prime minister chime in, as he told journalists during a press conference: “Take a baby crocodile from his mother and see how you go there.”
Jones, who describes herself as an “outdoor enthusiast and hunter” on Instagram has since set her account to private. Her visa is currently being reviewed by immigration officials, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told the BBC.
Burke also said he “couldn’t wait” for Australia to be rid of the influencer and that he doubted she would ever return to the country. He told Daily Mail Australia: “The department is now working through the conditions on her current visa and determining whether immigration law has been breached.”
An online petition backing Jones’ deportation and ban from Australia has meanwhile surpassed 20,000 signatures since it was launched yesterday.