Visa trouble looms for influencer over Australian wombat controversy

An American hunting influencer, Sam Jones is under investigation for potentially breaching her Australian visa after sharing a viral video of herself snatching a baby Australian wombat from its mother.

The viral video, which has sparked outrage, shows Montana-based influencer Sam Jones grabbing the Australian wombat joey at night as it walked alongside its mother.

The viral video, widely condemned by animal welfare groups and politicians, was labelled “callous” by the RSPCA and “pretty dreadful” by Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stated authorities were reviewing the conditions of Sam Jones’ visa and hinted that she may struggle to obtain another in the future.

In the viral video, Sam Jones is seen running towards a parked car while clutching the distressed joey, which screeches in protest.

“I caught a baby wombat,” she says before acknowledging the mother’s visible distress. Moments later, she places the joey back on the roadside.

The viral footage was originally shared on Jones’ Instagram account “samstrays_somewhere,” where she documented her travels across Australia, including a separate video of her handling an echidna.

Following backlash, her account was switched to private, and a linked TikTok account was deleted.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned Sam Jones’ actions, sarcastically suggesting she try taking a baby crocodile instead.

The RSPCA’s Dr Di Evans criticised the act, highlighting the distress caused to the joey and its mother. “Removing a joey from its mother is extremely harmful,” she said, adding that there are proper ways for tourists to observe wildlife through licensed sanctuaries.

Authorities, including the federal environment department, have been notified of the incident but have not yet made further statements.

Meanwhile, Sam Jones defended herself online, claiming she only held the joey for “one minute” and released it unharmed. However, critics argue that the video demonstrates a blatant disregard for Australian wildlife.

With three species of Australian wombat, two classified as threatened, experts warn that such incidents highlight the need for stricter regulations to protect the country’s unique native animals from reckless behaviour by tourists.