An American influencer who provoked uproar by tweeting a video of herself grabbing a baby wombat from its mother while in Australia apologized on Saturday, stating that she acted out of concern for the tiny animal’s health.
Sam Jones was threatened with deportation by Australian officials after she shared a video on Instagram of herself running from a mother wombat joey on a roadside at night.
“I ran, not to rip the joey away from its mother, but for fear she would attack me,” Jones, also known as Samantha Strable, wrote on social media.
“The snap judgement I made in these moments was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey,” according to her.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the footage of the little wombat being snatched as “just an outrage.”
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said his government was looking into whether Jones violated the rules of her visa before leaving the country on Friday.
“There’s never been a better day to be a baby wombat in Australia,” Burke said after Jones’ voluntary departure.
Burke said he did not expect Jones to apply for another Australian visa.
The animal appears to be a common wombat, also called a bare-nosed wombat. It is a protected marsupial that lives only in Australia.
Jones, who lives in Montana, said she got “extremely concerned” when she discovered the two wombats stuck on a road.
“As wombats are so often hit on Australian roads, I stopped to ensure they got off the road safely and didn’t get hit,” Jones informed us.
“However, as seen in the video, when I approached them, the joey did not move or run away. I was concerned that it was unwell or damaged, so I decided to pick up the joey and see whether that was the case,” she explained.
An anonymous man laughs while filming Jones stating, “I caught a baby wombat.” They both notice the mother’s aggressive vocalizations.
Animal welfare specialists believe Jones may have damaged the joey by suspending it by its two forelegs.
Jones stated that 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 told me.
“I have learned from this situation, and am truly sorry for the distress I have caused,” stated the woman.
On Saturday, Jones did not immediately answer to The Associated Press’s questions about where and when the newborn wombat was captured.
A wombat expert stated that the footage proved the joey had the skin condition mange and would die if not treated.
Jones also did not tell the Associated Press where she was on Saturday.
