SOON Posted March 13 Posted March 13 Influencer Faces Backlash for Stealing a Screaming Baby Wombat from Its Mom in Controversial Video Sam Jones, who refers to herself as a "wildlife biologist and environmental scientist," stole a baby wombat from its mom in a now-deleted video By Skyler Caruso Published on March 12, 2025 11:51AM EDT Sam Jones is facing backlash for a video she posted on Instagram that documents her interfering with native wildlife in Australia. In the since-deleted video, the American influencer is seen picking up a baby wombat on the side of a dark road at night and running away with it as it dangles from her grasp, as seen in footage captured by local news outlet 10 News First. As the marsupial is being carried away by a laughing Jones, the native Australian animal is heard screeching for its mother. The mama wombat then runs across the street, seemingly in an attempt to protect its baby. All the while, the influencer is playing to the camera as the person recording her narrates what's happening at the scene. “Look at the mother, it’s chasing after her!" the cameraman says, also laughing. "I caught a baby wombat!" says Jones, who claims to be a "wildlife biologist and environmental scientist" in her bio on her now-private Instagram where she boasts 92K followers. "OK mama’s right there and she is pissed, let’s let him go," she adds, before walking across the road to release the baby, who was making distress noises while airborne. The video received backlash from the public condemning her act after it was posted online. While her Instagram has been made private since the controversial post, it appears her TikTok (samstrays_somewhere) has been deactivated. "It's disgusting to distress those animals in such a manner as this," wrote one user on a Reddit thread about the video. Animals native to Australia are protected by law under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Wildlife rescue organization Wires confirmed to news.com.au that Jones' act documented in the video was illegal. Wildlife Vet Dr. Tania Bishop told the outlet that the joey in the clip looked "around eight months old" and noted that it's in its stage of life where it would be relying on its mom "at all times." Being carried away by Jones was likely not only distressing for the baby wombat and its mother, but she told the outlet that the animal could've also been injured from the way the influencer was holding it. "When she’s running, it’s not supported underneath, and wombats are incredibly solid, especially in their back end," Dr. Bishop told News.com.au. "So there’s every chance she could have fractured the upper humerus, or the top of the arms, or caused damage to the shoulders." In Australia, penalties for animal cruelty offenses vary in each jurisdiction, with fines reaching as high as $235,600 for individuals and $250,000 for corporations. Jail time can be up to seven years. Quote
Cyber-Raga Posted March 13 Posted March 13 I hope the baby wombat has been reunited with its mama and that influence cunt is on her way back to the USA because authorities kicked her out. Quote
ThomasW Posted March 13 Posted March 13 47 minutes ago, Cyber-Raga said: I hope the baby wombat has been reunited with its mama and that influence cunt is on her way back to the USA because authorities kicked her out. won't she -at least- have to pay a fine tho? so she's getting away with it scot free? Quote
Cyber-Raga Posted March 13 Posted March 13 18 minutes ago, ThomasW said: won't she -at least- have to pay a fine tho? so she's getting away with it scot free? Can’t it be both: paying fines while her ass is being escorted out of the country? Quote
Confessit Posted March 13 Posted March 13 Just now, Cyber-Raga said: Can’t it be both: paying fines while her ass is being escorted out of the country? Kick her out leave the fine. Its against Australian law those animals are protected and she’s visiting and broke it. Quote
Genevieve Vavance Posted March 13 Posted March 13 3 hours ago, SOON said: Influencer Faces Backlash for Stealing a Screaming Baby Wombat from Its Mom in Controversial Video Sam Jones, who refers to herself as a "wildlife biologist and environmental scientist," stole a baby wombat from its mom in a now-deleted video By Skyler Caruso Published on March 12, 2025 11:51AM EDT Sam Jones is facing backlash for a video she posted on Instagram that documents her interfering with native wildlife in Australia. In the since-deleted video, the American influencer is seen picking up a baby wombat on the side of a dark road at night and running away with it as it dangles from her grasp, as seen in footage captured by local news outlet 10 News First. As the marsupial is being carried away by a laughing Jones, the native Australian animal is heard screeching for its mother. The mama wombat then runs across the street, seemingly in an attempt to protect its baby. All the while, the influencer is playing to the camera as the person recording her narrates what's happening at the scene. “Look at the mother, it’s chasing after her!" the cameraman says, also laughing. "I caught a baby wombat!" says Jones, who claims to be a "wildlife biologist and environmental scientist" in her bio on her now-private Instagram where she boasts 92K followers. "OK mama’s right there and she is pissed, let’s let him go," she adds, before walking across the road to release the baby, who was making distress noises while airborne. The video received backlash from the public condemning her act after it was posted online. While her Instagram has been made private since the controversial post, it appears her TikTok (samstrays_somewhere) has been deactivated. "It's disgusting to distress those animals in such a manner as this," wrote one user on a Reddit thread about the video. Animals native to Australia are protected by law under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Wildlife rescue organization Wires confirmed to news.com.au that Jones' act documented in the video was illegal. Wildlife Vet Dr. Tania Bishop told the outlet that the joey in the clip looked "around eight months old" and noted that it's in its stage of life where it would be relying on its mom "at all times." Being carried away by Jones was likely not only distressing for the baby wombat and its mother, but she told the outlet that the animal could've also been injured from the way the influencer was holding it. "When she’s running, it’s not supported underneath, and wombats are incredibly solid, especially in their back end," Dr. Bishop told News.com.au. "So there’s every chance she could have fractured the upper humerus, or the top of the arms, or caused damage to the shoulders." In Australia, penalties for animal cruelty offenses vary in each jurisdiction, with fines reaching as high as $235,600 for individuals and $250,000 for corporations. Jail time can be up to seven years. Awww, Wombats are so cute, poor baby I read that it's back with its mum apparently, thank god Quote
elijah Posted March 13 Posted March 13 Wombats are so cute. That's sooo horrid and cringy. What an idiot! Hope the mother and the baby are fine! Quote
San Posted March 13 Posted March 13 As horrible an incident as it is, I'm glad it happened and that she recorded it so she can face consequences in full view of the world. People like her think they can get away with anything, and will do almost anything for a new follower or click. This trend of earning a living for being a useless cunt that contributes nothing to society has to end; it's yet another symptom of a devolving world where stupidity reigns and bad people reap the rewards. I hope she is fined, and her slack-arse life destroyed. Quote
Jazzy Jan Posted March 13 Posted March 13 5 minutes ago, San said: As horrible an incident as it is, I'm glad it happened and that she recorded it so she can face consequences in full view of the world. People like her think they can get away with anything, and will do almost anything for a new follower or click. This trend of earning a living for being a useless cunt that contributes nothing to society has to end; it's yet another symptom of a devolving world where stupidity reigns and bad people reap the rewards. I hope she is fined, and her slack-arse life destroyed. Agree with you. Only thing I am worried about is idiots copying her and trying to grab wombats and koalas from the wild to post them online. Otherwise glad she has been exposed for the thoughtless moron she is. Poor baby wombat was terrified and distressed, as was the mother wombat. Both being distressed so some idiot influencer could film it. Quote
SOON Posted March 15 Author Posted March 15 oh please! 'For holding a wombat, thousands threatened my life' Tiffany Wertheimer BBC News A US influencer who was filmed taking a wild baby wombat away from its distressed mother in Australia has said she is "truly sorry" and received thousands of death threats over the incident. Sam Jones, who calls herself an "outdoor enthusiast and hunter", was filmed picking up the joey on the side of a road, while laughing and running over to a car, while the mother chases after them. It sparked a massive backlash, with Australian PM Anthony Albanese challenging her to "take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there". In a lengthy statement on her Instagram page, Jones says she was trying to get the animals safely off the road. She says, as can be seen in the video, that the mother runs off the road, but the baby does not, and Jones scoops it up. She says she ran across the road "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," the statement says. She emphasises that it was "not staged, nor was it done for entertainment", and in her excitement of the moment, "acted too quickly and failed to provide necessary context to viewers online". In the second part of her statement, Jones launches a scathing attack on Australia's animal culling laws, including wombats, kangaroos, horses, deer and pigs. Australia has various culling laws and regulations that spark controversy and divide the nation. Wombats, which are native to Australia, are a protected species, but permits can be obtained to cull them if deemed necessary. The anger that rippled across Australia was so strong that Home Affairs minister Tony Burke said his department was reviewing whether it could revoke Jones's visa. However, the BBC understands that she left the country of her own accord. Jones, who also goes by the name Samantha Strable, has nearly 95,000 followers and describes herself as an "outdoor enthusiast and hunter" on her Instagram profile. She has since deleted the wombat post. Quote
swimtoshore Posted March 15 Posted March 15 On 3/14/2025 at 2:26 AM, SOON said: Influencer Faces Backlash for Stealing a Screaming Baby Wombat from Its Mom in Controversial Video Sam Jones, who refers to herself as a "wildlife biologist and environmental scientist," stole a baby wombat from its mom in a now-deleted video By Skyler Caruso Published on March 12, 2025 11:51AM EDT Sam Jones is facing backlash for a video she posted on Instagram that documents her interfering with native wildlife in Australia. In the since-deleted video, the American influencer is seen picking up a baby wombat on the side of a dark road at night and running away with it as it dangles from her grasp, as seen in footage captured by local news outlet 10 News First. As the marsupial is being carried away by a laughing Jones, the native Australian animal is heard screeching for its mother. The mama wombat then runs across the street, seemingly in an attempt to protect its baby. All the while, the influencer is playing to the camera as the person recording her narrates what's happening at the scene. “Look at the mother, it’s chasing after her!" the cameraman says, also laughing. "I caught a baby wombat!" says Jones, who claims to be a "wildlife biologist and environmental scientist" in her bio on her now-private Instagram where she boasts 92K followers. "OK mama’s right there and she is pissed, let’s let him go," she adds, before walking across the road to release the baby, who was making distress noises while airborne. The video received backlash from the public condemning her act after it was posted online. While her Instagram has been made private since the controversial post, it appears her TikTok (samstrays_somewhere) has been deactivated. "It's disgusting to distress those animals in such a manner as this," wrote one user on a Reddit thread about the video. Animals native to Australia are protected by law under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Wildlife rescue organization Wires confirmed to news.com.au that Jones' act documented in the video was illegal. Wildlife Vet Dr. Tania Bishop told the outlet that the joey in the clip looked "around eight months old" and noted that it's in its stage of life where it would be relying on its mom "at all times." Being carried away by Jones was likely not only distressing for the baby wombat and its mother, but she told the outlet that the animal could've also been injured from the way the influencer was holding it. "When she’s running, it’s not supported underneath, and wombats are incredibly solid, especially in their back end," Dr. Bishop told News.com.au. "So there’s every chance she could have fractured the upper humerus, or the top of the arms, or caused damage to the shoulders." In Australia, penalties for animal cruelty offenses vary in each jurisdiction, with fines reaching as high as $235,600 for individuals and $250,000 for corporations. Jail time can be up to seven years. Fuck this fucking psycho bitch. Ban her from ever coming back to OZ. Social media has so much to answer for. Quote
nightcutter Posted March 16 Posted March 16 I've seen some articles on a few sites showing her with rifles killing animals. She tried to sue PETA for declining her a job when they found out she was a hunter. She has a sister who apparently makes a living out of applying for jobs she's not suitable for, and when she's turned down, she sues the employer over some loose application of discrimination laws. Quote
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