Influencer Faces Backlash After Capturing Baby Wombat in Viral Video

SYDNEY, Australia — A video showing an American influencer allegedly stealing a baby wombat from its mother has sparked outrage among wildlife experts and the public alike. The footage, originally shared by hunting influencer and biologist Sam Jones with her 92,000 Instagram followers, went viral before she made her account private amid severe backlash.

In the now-deleted video, a passenger exclaims, “Just caught a baby wombat,” followed by laughter, as Jones holds the frightened joey. As the distressed mother wombat approaches, both the passenger and Jones acknowledge her presence, yet the video ends with Jones releasing the baby back onto the ground. The video caption read, “My dream of holding a wombat has been realised! Baby and mom slowly waddled back off together into the bush.” The exact location of the incident is still under investigation.

Dr. Tanya Bishop, a wildlife veterinarian at WIRES, Australia’s largest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation charity, confirmed that the organization has received numerous complaints regarding the video. She noted that both the Environment Biosecurity Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act protect all wildlife in Australia. Violating these laws can carry serious consequences.

Bishop highlighted that the wombats involved in the incident appear to be of the common, bare-nosed variety native to Tasmania, New South Wales, and Victoria, with some populations scattered across South Australia. She warned that the manner in which the baby wombat was handled could lead to physical injuries, explaining, “Most of their weight is in the back end of the body, so picking up any young animal can cause growth plate damage, greenstick fractures, and harm to ligaments and muscles.”

“The stress of being violently removed from its mother could be traumatic and distressing for the animal,” she added. “For both the joey and the mother, it’s an experience akin to being taken by a predator, which explains the mother’s frantic behavior.”

The backlash against Jones has been bolstered by public figures within the conservation community, including Jess Abrahams of the Australian Conservation Foundation. Abrahams emphasized that such interference could severely impact the bond between the mother and joey, potentially prompting the mother to abandon her young due to the human scent left behind.

“To see a so-called hunting influencer literally take a young wombat from its mother and cause such distress to both was really disturbing,” Abrahams stated. “This influencer seems to think this is a joke for social media engagement, but such actions are grotesque and completely unacceptable.”

Jones has faced criticism not only for this incident but also for previous posts where she flaunted her interactions with dead animals and showcased wildlife in threatening situations. A recent TikTok video featured her handling an echidna, described as “a spiny yet adorable Australian monotreme,” while another Instagram post read, “Another NZ day, another HEDGEHOG.”

As the public outcry continues, many hope that Jones learns from the intense response and changes her approach toward wildlife interactions.