Influencer who sparked outrage by separating baby wombat from mother defends herself
An American social media influencer is defending herself after posting a video showing her separating a baby wombat from its mother while in Australia.
Sam Jones posted two statements to Instagram Friday, claiming that she believed the wombat was sick or injured.
"I was concerned it may have been sick or injured and made a snap judgment to pick up the joey," Jones wrote. "The snap judgement I made in these moments was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey."
The influencer told the camera, "I caught a baby wombat," in the now deleted video while the animal started squealing. "Okay, mom is right there and she is pissed. Let's let him go," Jones said.
The BBC reported Friday that Jones had left Australia. Australia's Home Affairs minister Tony Burke said "there has never been a better time to be a baby wombat," in a statement to the British outlet.
Influencer attempts to shield herself from wombat outrage
The Wombat Protection Society of Australia released a statement Wednesday slamming the "appalling" video made "for social media likes," adding that the influencer put the joey at risk of being harmed on the road.
The video sparked a backlash from animal advocates and politicians. It prompted an online petition with over 20,000 signatures calling for the woman to be banned from Australia.
In the second statement, Jones pointed the finger at Australians, saying "The Australian government allows and permits the slaughter of wombats. Thousands each year are shot, poisoned to suffer, and trapped legally."
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took a dig at Jones, according to Australian outlet news.com.au, saying: "Take another animal that can actually fight back rather than stealing a baby wombat from its mother. See how you go there."
Reuters previously reported that officials are also investigating the conditions of her visa to evaluate if immigration laws were violated.
Jones is a self-proclaimed "outdoor enthusiast" from Montana who has more than 90,000 followers on Instagram.