An American influencer has left Australia after a viral video showing her grabbing a baby wombat from its mother triggered national outrage.
Montana-based content creator Sam Jones, who also goes by Samantha Strable, faced intense backlash after posting footage of herself picking up the young marsupial from the side of a road while its distressed mother followed closely behind.
In the clip, Jones can be seen smiling as she holds the animal up to the camera, declaring, “I caught a baby wombat!” The joey, however, appeared agitated, hissing loudly—a known sign of distress. Moments later, she put it down, acknowledging the mother’s presence and apparent frustration.
Jones later defended her actions, stating that she believed the animal was sick or injured and had only picked it up to check its condition.
She said in a post on Instagram: “I was concerned it may have been sick or injured and made a snap judgement to pick up the joey and see if this was the case.
“I ran, not to rip the joey away from its mother, but from fear she might attack me. The snap judgement I made in these moments was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey.
“While I was unbelievably excited to see such an amazing animal, I looked it over quickly and immediately returned it to its mother.”
However, her explanation did little to calm the backlash. Australians were outraged, with social media users, politicians, and animal welfare advocates condemning her actions.
Political and Public Outrage
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese weighed in on the controversy, calling the act an “outrage.” He sarcastically suggested that Jones try taking a baby crocodile instead and see how that works out for her.
Government officials soon began discussing whether Jones had violated Australia’s strict biosecurity and animal welfare laws, with some calling for her visa to be revoked. However, before any official action was taken, she left the country voluntarily.
Minister Tony Burke, speaking to the Daily Mail, made light of the situation, remarking, “There’s never been a better day to be a baby wombat in Australia.”
While there were discussions about deportation, legal experts questioned whether the government had grounds to revoke her visa since she had not been charged with a crime or classified as a national threat.
Burke further stated that he doubted Jones would ever return, saying, “I don’t expect she will return. I can’t wait for Australia to see the back of this individual.”
Influencer Responds to Backlash
Following the intense criticism, Jones issued a statement on Instagram defending her actions. She explained that she had acted impulsively out of concern for the animal’s wellbeing and had no intention of harming or stealing it.
She claimed she ran because she feared the mother might attack her, adding that her decision was not made for social media attention but rather out of excitement at seeing such a rare animal up close.
However, she admitted that she “did not handle this situation as best as I should have” and expressed regret for any distress she caused.
Despite her apology, many Australians remained angry, with calls for stricter penalties against those who interfere with native wildlife.
The situation highlights the growing tension between social media influencers and local cultures, as more content creators push boundaries to gain views—sometimes with unintended consequences.
Jones has since returned to the United States, but given the strong reaction to her actions, it’s unlikely she’ll be welcomed back to Australia anytime soon.
