The American influencer who came under fire for allegedly taking a baby wombat from its mother in Australia and posting a social media video about it is breaking her silence.
Sam Jones spoke out in a series of Instagram posts, apologizing for the video and claiming she didn’t share it to get likes or for entertainment, and that the incident wasn’t staged.
“When we found the mother and joey on a road, not moving I was extremely concerned. As wombats are so often hit on Australian roads, I stopped to ensure they got off the road safely and didn’t get hit,” Jones began in an Instagram post shared Friday, which has since been deleted. “However, as is seen from the video when I walked up to them, the joey did not move or run off. I was concerned it may have been sick or injured, and made a snap judgement to pick up the joey and see if this was the case.”
Jones’ video of herself with the baby wombat has since been deleted from her Instagram. In the clip, Jones could be seen running across a street toward a car while holding the screeching baby wombat, as the wombat’s mother chased after her.
“I ran, not to rip the joey away from its mother, but from fear she might attack me,” Jones wrote in her statement. “The snap judgement I made in these moments was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey.”
The end of Jones’ since-deleted video doesn’t show whether the baby wombat and its mother were reunited. In her statement, Jones said she did reunite the pair.
Sam Jones, a hunting influencer, shared a now-deleted video on Instagram of her holding a baby wombat and taking it away from its mother in Australia.
@samstrays_somewhere/Instagram
“While I was unbelievably excited to see such an amazing animal, I looked it over quickly and immediately returned it to its mother,” said Jones. “I ensured that the mother and joey did reunite, went off together, and that they got off the road.”
“I’ve done a great deal of reflection on the situation and have realized that I did not handle this situation as best as I should have,” she continued, later adding in apology, “I have learned from the situation and I’m truly sorry for the distress I’ve caused.”
Jones’ video post triggered backlash and outrage, with some Australians calling for Jones to be deported. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also weighed in multiple times in public comments.
“It’s a shocker. You know, a wombat is a slow moving, peaceful animal, and to take a baby wombat from this mum was distressing, quite clearly,” Albanese said in a March 14 radio interview. “And I found it really distressing the video that was there. I don’t know what the hell this woman thought she was doing. You know, there’s a lot of, a lot wilder animals in Australia she could have got into trouble with if she’d picked up their babies. But to pick up a baby wombat, it is not on.”
In a separate Instagram statement Friday, Jones responded to people calling her a “villain,” claiming that “things … are not as they seem.”
“Over holding a wombat, thousands threaten my life,” she wrote. “Let me be clear; these same people ought to understand the reality of Australia today. For the readers that are so angered by my mistaken attempt to help and that I am a hunter — do not be blind to your country.”
Jones stated that under Australian law, wombats and kangaroos can sometimes be legally slaughtered for various reasons.
“While the prime minister wishes harm on me for picking up a wombat, I implore you to take a good, hard, look at what is currently being done in Australia surrounding the real issue it faces, the lack of power for tens of thousands of Aussies, and the treatment of its native wildlife,” said Jones. “Then, decide for yourself, if I, a person who certainly makes mistakes, am really your villain.”
Wildlife experts say taking a baby animal from its mother or from its home can be distressing for the animal.
A spokesperson for the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water told ABC News previously the department was aware of allegations in Jones’ case and an inquiry was ongoing but they would not comment further.
The department also said under Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, a person may commit an offense if they take or move a member of a listed threatened species, such as a northern hairy-nosed wombat, from, in, or on Australia without approval.
ABC News has reached out to Jones for comment.
