Influencer under fire over ‘cruel’ wombat act hits back
Source: Instagram/Sam Jones
The US influencer facing massive disapproval in Australia after snatching a baby wombat from its mother has hit back, accusing her critics of “insanity”.
Samantha Strable, who uses the name Jones online, sparked a storm of controversy online after video of her manhandling the native marsupial went viral earlier this week.
Early on Friday, amid reports she has since left Australia, she returned fire from a new TikTok profile – with a profile that reads “human and nature’s friend”.
“Fellow fans and haters. You have all gone crazy… the hate is currently too much for me to handle. You guys are insane,” the Montana woman wrote.
“I get hundreds of death threats for picking up an animal? WTF… imagine someone just goes up to your child and curses at them? Let’s have some respect.”
Jones, who promotes herself as a “wildlife biologist and environmental scientist”, shared the footage with her 90,000-plus followers in an Instagram reel.
It showed her running across a country road to grab the baby wombat, while an Australian man laughed as he filmed the scene.
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Jones runs back toward the unidentified man holding the clearly distressed wombat. As its feet dangle in the air, the man is heard saying:“Look at the mother, it’s chasing after her!”
Jones has defended her actions on TikTok – and apologised. Screenshots: TikTok
Amid the backlash, Jones’ Instagram account was made private – although she claimed on Friday it had been banned. It had featured mostly images of her posing with dead animals she claims to have hunted.
Jones, who styles herself as a “wildlife biologist” and “environmental scientist”, had written in the caption of the original reel that it was her “dream” to hold a baby wombat.
While the video does not show the mother and baby wombat reunited, the caption said “baby and mom slowly waddled back off together into the bush”.
None of that stopped the torrent of disapproval, with even Prime Minister Anthony Albanese weighing in.
“To take a baby wombat from its mother, and clearly causing distress from the mother, is just an outrage,” he said on Thursday.
“I suggest to this so-called influencer, maybe she might try some other Australian animals, take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there. Take another animal that can actually fight back, rather than stealing a baby wombat from its mother.”
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On Friday, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said it was a “cruel act”.
“I’m glad that the influencer has now left. But I’m not going to give more publicity to somebody who craves it,” he said.
Australians remain unimpressed by Jones’ actions. Screenshots: TikTok
On Thursday, Jones apologised in a brief statement on TikTok.
“Guys … I’m really sorry about the wombat incident. It was a mistake. I’m a professional and all the people hating, it’s enough. I learned my lesson,” she wrote.
She claimed to have held the baby marsupial for only “one minute in total” before returning it to its mother. The pair then “wandered back off into the bush together”.
On Friday, Jones wrote that “social media is getting too much right now”.
“I might take a small break. Love my fans,” she said.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Thursday that Jones’ visa was under review to determine if she’d breached immigration laws.
“Either way, given the level of scrutiny that will happen if she ever applies for a visa again, I’ll be surprised if she even bothers,” he said.
“I can’t wait for Australia to see the back of this individual, I don’t expect she will return.”
All Australian native animals are protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
Penalties for animal cruelty offences vary by state, with fines reaching as high as $235,600 for individuals and $250,000 for corporations, along with potential imprisonment of up to seven years.
