Influencer’s theft of baby wombat from mother sparks fury
A U.S. influencer has drawn criticism in Australia, including from the country’s prime minister, for filming herself snatching a baby wombat from its mother.
A U.S. influencer has drawn criticism in Australia, including from the country’s prime minister, for filming herself snatching a baby wombat from its mother.
Sam Jones, a self-described “outdoor enthusiast” from the U.S. with more than 91,000 followers on Instagram, posted a now-deleted video in which she can be seen taking a baby wombat from the side of an unidentified road and running toward a car as its mother chases after her. A man be heard laughing as the scene unfolds.
Jones eventually released the distressed baby wombat, which hissed and screeched while in her arms, back onto the road, the video shows. But it was unclear whether the animal reunited with its mother.
Jones’ action sparked outrage across Australia, especially among conservationists, with some calling for her deportation over her treatment of the wombat, an animal native to Australia that is legally protected in the country.
“They are gentle, lovely creatures,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters. “To take a baby wombat from its mother and clearly causing distress from the mother, is just an outrage.”
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