The American influencer apologized on Saturday after an online video that stole a baby wombat from an Australian mother caused anger.
In a video she posted to Instagram, Samantha Jones is seen running from her mother on the roadside at night, carrying a wombat Joey. The video captured an unidentified man filming the scene and laughing, saying that Jones said, “I caught a baby wombat.”
In response to the video, Australian authorities threatened Jones with deportation. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the video as “just a rage,” suggesting that Jones “should take the baby crocodile from his mother and see how you can get there.”
“We don’t steal a baby wombat from our mother, we’re going to take another animal that can actually fight back,” he said.
Home Minister Tony Burke also said immigration officials are investigating whether Jones violated her visa conditions. Jones voluntarily left Australia after the incident. Since her departure, Burke commented, “There has never been a better day to become a baby wombat in Australia.”
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In a statement, Jones said she acted out of concern over animal welfare and her own safety.
“I ran. Rather than pulling Joey away from her mother, she might attack me out of fear. The snap I made in those moments wasn’t about trying to steal Joey from or stealing him,” Jones said in her statement.
Jones further said she was “very worried” when she found a mother and Joey Wombat who were unable to move on the road.
“Wombats are frequently attacked on Australian roads, so I stopped to make sure they were safely off the road and not attacked,” she said. She also said she was worried that Joey might be sick or injured as he didn’t move or run away. That’s when she decides to pick up the animal.
Animal welfare experts point out that the way Jones dealt with Joey could have caused harm by hanging the animal with its forelimbs.
“I didn’t make this situation as best as I should have been,” Jones said in her statement.
Home Minister Burke said he does not expect Jones to apply for an Australian visa again.
Naked nose wombats are marsupials only in Australia.
