Who is Sam Jones and what did she do? Wombat controversy explained as hunting influencer's visa comes under review over viral video

US-based influencer Sam Jones is making headlines for allegedly picking up and running away with a baby wombat after stealing it from its mother. Wildlife experts have opined that the alleged behavior could be illegal, subsequently prompting a petition that demands Jones' deportation from Australia. Her Instagram account (@samstrays_somewhere) is set to private at the time of writing this article.

On March 13, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that in the now-deleted video, Sam Jones could be seen allegedly separating a bare-nosed wombat from its mother. In the 33-second-long video, Jones was seen picking it from the side of the road at night and running towards her car. Meanwhile, an unidentified man sitting in the car and recording could be heard saying,

“Just caught a baby wombat. Look at the mother... it's chasing after her [Jones]."

As she can hear the baby wombat hissing, Sam Jones then says:

“Okay, mamma’s right there, and she is pissed. Let’s let them go.”

The baby wombat later appears to run towards its mother in the video.

Dr. Tania Bishop, a wildlife veterinarian, told The Sydney Morning Herald that all wildlife in Australia is protected under biosecurity. Bishop stated that it was difficult to judge whether Jones’ actions were legal or not, as it depended on how she found the animal.

Bishop added that her actions would be considered illegal if she picked up the animal or interfered with native wildlife without a reasonable suspicion that it had been injured.

In her Instagram bio, Sam Jones calls herself an "outdoor enthusiast & hunter," as well as a “Wildlife Biologist & Environmental Scientist.” She has amassed over 90,000 followers on Instagram at the time of writing this article. On her now-private profile, the self-proclaimed hunter could be seen capturing sharks, holding echidnas, and posing next to a dead deer and wild pigs.

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Petition to have Sam Jones banned from Australia appears online

Sam Jones has previously contributed to the Great Falls Tribune, a Montana-based publication. She has also worked with the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks agency.

On March 12, a petition titled “Ban sammystrays_somewhere from Australia for taking a baby wombat from its mother” appeared on Change.org. In the petition that was addressed to the Prime Minister of Australia, the country’s Department of Home Affairs, their federal police, and the Federal Department of Agriculture, the petitioner said:

“Samstrays_somewhere should be deported from the country immediately and banned from ever returning for this action. The Australian man she is with should also receive serious penalties for facilitating this behaviour. Messing with Australia’s beloved wildlife is not a joke.”

The petition also stated that Australia’s WIRES wildlife rescue organization confirmed that Jones’ actions were illegal.

The petition has amassed over 21,800 signatures at the time of writing this article.

As the matter garnered traction online, the Minister for Immigration, Tony Burke, confirmed with The Sydney Morning Herald that Jones’ visa was under review and that the department was looking into whether she had breached any laws. He stated:

“I can’t wait for Australia to see the back of this individual, I don’t expect she will return.”

Meanwhile, addressing the controversy with Newsweek on March 12, Sam Jones said:

"Of course the wombat went back with its mother as you can see from both the video and its caption. It was briefly picked up and then immediately released, no harm was done and we ensured they got off the road safely."

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According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Australia, state penalties for infringing animal cruelty laws include fines ranging from $22,000 to $236,500. Individuals can also serve up to five years in NSW.