A US influencer, Sam Jones, is facing backlash after a video was released of her taking a baby wombat away from its mother in Australia. The video, which has since been deleted, showed Ms Jones picking up the joey and running across it to a car while its mother chased after them.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the action, saying she should have tried doing something similar with an animal that “can actually fight back”, such as taking a baby crocodile from its mother. Immigration officials are reviewing Ms Jones’s visa following calls for her deportation.
Conservationists and experts say Ms Jones’s actions were not only distressing but also potentially illegal under Australian law, which prohibits harming or taking native wildlife unless the joey is in need of help due to its mother’s death. Wombats are a protected species, and separating them from their mothers can cause severe harm.
The Wombat Protection Society called Ms Jones’s behavior “appalling” and said she should be deported. An online petition supporting her deportation has received over 10,500 signatures. Ms Jones has since made her Instagram account private, but several media outlets had shared the video and earlier posts showing her interacting with wildlife in Australia.
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong described the video as “dreadful” and urged people to leave the baby wombat alone. Wildlife veterinarian Tania Bishop added that Ms Jones may have broken Australian law by taking the joey without a valid reason.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3d8m4vk0e9o