Video: American tourist sparks international outrage after posting video of wombat
Recently, a famous social media user named Sam Jones gained popularity when he picked up a baby wombat and took it away from its mother, before eventually releasing the young marsupial. (Source: @samstrays_somewhere/Instagram)
An American tourist and Instagram influencer has come under fire on social media for posting a video of herself taking a baby wombat away from its mother.
Sam Jones, who has almost 100,000 followers on Instagram under the handle @samstrays_somewhere, left Australia on Friday after her video of a wombat caused a row with local authorities.
The Instagram footage shows Jones picking up the wombat and running away from its mother as the cameraman laughs. The mother initially runs away from Jones in fear before returning to pick up her baby, with the baby marsupial hanging on in Jones' arms.
“Look at the mother! It's like she's following us,” says the satisfied cameraman.
Sam Jones, who has almost 100,000 followers on Instagram under the handle @samstrays_somewhere, left Australia after the video was released. (@samstrays_somewhere)
“I caught a baby wombat,” Jones said excitedly, watching the baby wriggle and hiss.
“Oh, Mom's here and she's furious,” the influencer soon remarked. “Let's let him go.”
Jones is then seen freeing the animal, although it is unclear in the video whether the cub was reunited with its mother, who disappeared into the tall grass.
Over the past few days, the video has sparked a storm of ridicule across the world and on various social media platforms.
“The baby wombat looked really upset and the way she grabbed him roughly under the arms as she ran away with him was horrible,” said one user X. “What kind of horrible person would do that? I hope she loses all her social media followers.”
“The child was clearly upset and the mother went after them,” added another commenter. “She was holding the poor child too. I hope she is never allowed back.”
The video shows the wombat's distressed mother heading towards Sam Jones. (@samstrays_somewhere)
After the incident came to light, Australian authorities began reviewing Jones' visa as she was leaving the country. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also spoke out about the video and condemned Jones for picking up the baby animal.
“To take a baby wombat away from its mother and obviously cause her distress is simply outrageous,” Albanese told reporters on Thursday. “I suggest this so-called influencer try to interact with other Australian animals.”
“Try taking a baby crocodile away from its mother and see what happens. Try another animal that can actually fight back… see what happens.”
However, in a lengthy message posted to Instagram on Friday, Jones said she wanted to help the animals get off the road safely because she feared they might be run over.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has slammed an American influencer who picked up a baby wombat. (Getty Images / @samstrays_somewhere)
Baby wombats are called “joeys.”
Jones wrote that she was concerned that the baby might be sick or injured, so she made a “hasty decision” [sic] to pick him up.
“I ran not to separate the cub from its mother, but out of fear that she would attack me,” she described. “The hasty
Sourse: www.foxnews.com
