Social media influencer Sam Jones is facing significant backlash after a viral video emerged showing her picking up a baby wombat and taking it away from its mother in Australia. Critics have condemned Jones’ actions, highlighting the fact that wombats are a critically endangered species.
Here’s a comprehensive overview of the ongoing controversy involving the well-known internet personality.
Sam Jones Faces Backlash for Handling Baby Wombat
The controversial video features Jones capturing an infant wombat near the roadside, subsequently walking towards her vehicle while leaving the distressed mother behind. A bystander can be heard laughing and commenting, “Look at the mother; it’s chasing after her!”
Reacting to the situation, Jones expressed her delight, stating, “I caught a baby wombat,” as the animal attempted to escape her grasp. She previously posted a caption on the now-deleted video, sharing her excitement about realizing her dream to hold a wombat, while noting that the mother and baby eventually returned to the bush together.
In response to the ensuing criticism, Jones defended her actions in the comments, claiming, “The [wombat] baby was carefully held for one minute in total and then released back to mom. They wandered back off into the bush together completely unharmed. I don’t ever capture wildlife that will be harmed by my doing so.”
The backlash has prompted Jones to privatize her Instagram account, which has approximately 92,000 followers. In her bio, she describes herself as a “wildlife biologist” and “environmental scientist.” In a related development, Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced that immigration officers are currently reviewing Jones’ visa status.
Burke remarked, “Given the level of scrutiny that will happen if she ever applies for a visa again, I’ll be surprised if she even bothers.” This statement comes alongside a petition calling for Jones’ deportation, which has accumulated over 31,000 signatures as of now.
