A hunting influencer could soon get kicked out of Australia over a controversial video with a baby wombat. The video shows influencer Sam Jones snatching the animal from its mother.
In the video, she uses the animal as a photo-op. Now, Australian politicians are angry and try to deport her.
Anthony Albanese, the prime minister, called the deleted video outrageous, via The Times.
"Maybe she might try some other Australian animals," Albanese said at a press conference. "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. See how you go there."
Baby Wombat Backlash
The animal's mother followed her and tried to get back the joey. "OK, mamma's right there, and she is pissed. Let's let them go," she said. Following the deleted video, Australia's immigration minister, Tony Burke, said that he was reviewing Jones's visa.
"I can't wait for Australia to see the back of this individual, I don't expect she will return," he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Tania Bishop, a wildlife veterinarian, warned about the effects of holding a baby wombat. She said the influencer could have killed the animal.
"Most of their weight is in the back end of the body, so picking up any young animal — even a toddler — they can experience growth plate damage, fractures, damage to ligaments and muscles, damage to the nerve plexus," she said.
She added, "You can also see the extreme distress the mother is in, chasing her across the road. This is just an extremely unacceptable way to treat our wildlife, which is already under incredible pressure right non."
Jones ended up deleting the video. But Bishop said the damage was done.
"But I would be very doubtful that many Australians watching that video would consider it acceptable at all," she said. "They're already under stress, we don't need to do anything more to put them in danger. We need to enjoy them while we still can in the wild."
