
'Am I A Villain?': Influencer Reacts To Backlash Over Taking Baby Wombat Away From Its Mom
HuffPost
The influencer apologized for the "distress" she caused before calling out the Australian government for its anti-wombat policies.
An American influencer issued an apology on Friday after receiving major backlash from a since-deleted video that showed her taking a baby wombat away from its mother, now claiming that she did so out of concern for the animal’s well being.
Sam Jones, who formerly described herself as a “wildlife biologist and environmental scientist” to her tens of thousands of followers on Instagram, shared a clip that showed her laughing and grabbing the screaming baby wombat, or joey, running away as the baby’s mother pursues her. She later brings the joey back to its mother.
“My dream of holding a wombat has been realised!” Jones reportedly captioned the video.
The clip sparked widespread outrage, including criticism from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said Jones should try to take a baby away from an animal that “can actually fight back,” the BBC reported.
“Take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there,” Albanese said.

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