US Influencer Sparks Outrage After Video of Snatching Baby Wombat in Australia Goes Viral

A U.S. influencer has triggered a wave of outrage in Australia after a video surfaced of her snatching a baby wombat from its mother in the dead of night. 

With more than 91,000 Instagram followers, she filmed herself picking up the joey and carrying it away as its distressed mother chased after her. 

“I caught a baby wombat,” Jones says excitedly in the now-deleted video, holding the squirming animal by its front legs. 

A man behind the camera laughs as the mother wombat scrambles toward them. Moments later, Jones places the joey back on the roadside, alone and in the dark. 

The video quickly went viral, drawing widespread criticism from Australian wildlife experts, conservation groups, and politicians, who called her actions harmful and irresponsible. 

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the act, calling it “an outrage.” 

Speaking to reporters, he sarcastically suggested that Jones should try picking up a baby crocodile instead. 

Meanwhile, an online petition calling for Jones to be deported or banned from Australia has gathered more than 38,000 signatures. 

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed that officials were reviewing her visa status. 

“I’ll be surprised if she ever applies for an Australian visa again,” Burke told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “I can’t wait for Australia to see the back of this individual.” 

Jones left Australia voluntarily amid the uproar. “There’s never been a better day to be a baby wombat in Australia,” Burke later said in a statement.

Jones Apologizes, Then Defends Herself 

Jones is an avid hunter, showing her kills on her Instagram page 

Jones initially addressed the controversy with an apology on Instagram, admitting she “did not handle the situation as best as I should have.” 

She claimed she had only picked up the joey to move it out of harm’s way and ran from the mother out of fear. 

“I ensured that the mother and joey reunited and got off the road,” Jones wrote. 

However, in a follow-up statement, Jones took a defensive stance, pointing out that the Australian government allows landowners to cull wombats under certain conditions. 

“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,” Jones wrote. 

Several wildlife groups have called for an investigation into whether Jones broke Australian law. 

“Snatching a screaming baby wombat from its mother is not just appalling—it’s very possibly illegal,” said Suzanne Milthorpe, head of campaigns at World Animal Protection Australia and New Zealand. 

A Dangerous Encounter for Both 

Beyond the legal implications, wildlife experts warn that the incident could have lasting consequences for both the mother and baby. 

The Wombat Protection Society of Australia noted that joeys depend on their mothers for 18 months to two years, one of the longest dependency periods of any marsupial. Prolonged separation could be fatal. 

“When we interact with wild creatures, we interrupt what they are doing,” a group of Australian ecology professors wrote in The Conversation. “This can harm the individual—and often, the group—by inducing stress and behavioral changes.” 

Experts also pointed out that roadside wombats face high risks of vehicle collisions and mange, a deadly parasitic disease that can spread to humans.