By political reporter Maani Truu, ABC
This screenshot of a video posted by Sam Jones shows the US influencer picking up a wild baby wombat and holding it for the camera. Photo: X / The Project
The Australian visa of an American influencer who posted a video of herself grabbing a baby wombat and carrying it away from its mother is being reviewed by immigration officials.
Sam Jones - who describes herself on social media as a "wildlife biologist and environmental scientist" - came under fire online for the Instagram reel, which has since been deleted.
American hunting influencer Sam Jones is facing fierce backlash after taking a baby wombat from it's mother while visiting Australia. pic.twitter.com/bGUvuxWGX7
— The Project (@theprojecttv) March 12, 2025
Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Thursday revealed that the government was looking at the conditions of Jones' visa to determine whether immigration law had been breached.
"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 in a statement.
"I can't wait for Australia to see the back of this individual, I don't expect she will return."
The video showed Jones catching the joey on the side of an unidentified road and carrying it to a car, while a man laughs as he films.
"Look at the mother, it's like aw chasing after her," the man can be heard saying as Jones runs towards the car with the joey held in front of her chest.
After a few moments, Jones lets go of the baby.
A caption that originally accompanied the clip said "baby and mom slowly waddled back off together into the bush".
Earlier on Thursday, the nation's Foreign Minister Penny Wong wouldn't be drawn on whether Jones should have her visa cancelled.
"I will leave those sorts of questions to Tony Burke," she said.
"But really, leave the wombat alone."
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also weighed in on Thursday afternoon, saying it was an "outrage".
"They are gentle, lovely creatures... I suggest to this so-called influencer, maybe she should try some other Australian animals, maybe she should try a crocodile.
"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."
World Animal Protection, an international not-for-profit, on Thursday called on the government to "fully" investigate if any environmental or animal welfare laws had been broken.
"Aussies are quite rightly outraged by this video," said Suzanne Milthorpe, the head of campaigns for Australia and New Zealand.
"This is cruelty for the sake of content and most people don't find that acceptable."
The act could have caused serious injury to the baby wombat, according to veterinarian Tania Bishop, who works with wildlife organisation Wires.
"The way that she has picked up by the forearms where she has and then yanked it up like that, that alone could cause serious injury to the upper limbs and the shoulder and structures within the shoulder," she said.
"But then swinging it as she has come across the road could also have furthered that damage."
She went on to say that the baby was "clearly calling to its mother and it's in distress" and that the video was "absolutely horrifying".
-ABC
