An American social media influencer is facing intense criticism in Australia and could potentially be banned from visiting the country after boasting about taking a screaming baby wombat away from its mother in a controversial stunt.
Sam Jones, who describes herself as an “outdoor enthusiast” and “wildlife biologist,” has 92,000 followers on her now-private Instagram page. She posted a video showing her grabbing the baby wombat, also known as a joey, and running away as its mother initially fled.
In the clip, Jones is seen scurrying down a road while holding the animal by its front legs, as someone off-camera laughs and comments on the mother turning around to chase after her distressed joey, which hisses and shrieks in Jones’ hands.
Jones, smiling while holding the frightened baby, later placed it back on the side of the road after noticing its visibly agitated mother.
“My dream of holding a wombat has been realized! Baby and mom slowly waddled back off together into the bush,” Jones reportedly captioned the post.
According to Australia’s Sky News, immigration officials are currently reviewing Jones’ visa to determine whether she violated any laws.
“Either way, given the level of scrutiny that will happen if she ever applies for a visa again, I’ll be surprised if she even bothers,” said Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke in a statement to the network.
US Influencer Visiting Australia“I can’t wait for Australia to see the back of this individual, I don’t expect she will return,” he added.
It remains unclear whether Jones is still in the country. Australia’s Department of Home Affairs did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
The video sparked outrage among Australian social media users, with many calling for Jones to be banned from returning.
“It’s not just the entitlement; it’s the disrespect,” one Reddit user commented on a subreddit focused on Australian topics.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong also weighed in on the controversy during an interview on the “Sunrise” show on Australia’s 7 News, calling the footage “dreadful” before deferring questions about Jones’ potential deportation to other officials.
“But, really, leave the wombat alone,” she added.
Tania Bishop, a wildlife veterinarian with WIRES, Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organization, told ABC Australia that the joey in the video was “completely dependent” on its mother and that the way Jones handled the baby could have “very easily” caused injuries.