Woman who took baby wombat from mother in Australia may have visa revoked

An American tourist who reportedly filmed herself picking up a wild baby wombat and running off with the animal might be forced to leave Australia.

Officials may find her behaviour to be a breach of her visa conditions.

A video shared widely on social media purports to show Sam Jones, who has 92,000 followers on Instagram, running with the baby wombat towards a car while its distressed mother chases after her.

It is not clear exactly when or where the incident took place, but it was at night on what appears to be a country road somewhere in southeastern Australia, where most wombats live.

The video, reportedly deleted from an Instagram account that has since been made private, and TikTok on a now-deleted account, shows a woman running across the road while holding a baby wombat.

“Just caught a baby wombat,” a man said off-camera, apparently referring to Jones. “Look at the mother, chasing after her,” he said, still laughing, referring to the adult wombat which chases the woman onto the road.

On her Instagram Jones describes herself as an “outdoor enthusiast and hunter”, “wildlife biologist” and “environmental scientist”. Her profile picture shows her holding a large dead fish in one hand and a gun in the other.

Experts have since said the animal was a common wombat, which is not endangered but is protected by Australian law.

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the department was examining Jones’s visa to determine if she had breached any conditions of her stay.

He suggested she may not ever be welcome back in Australia.

“I can’t wait for Australia to see the back of this individual, I don’t expect she will return,” he said in a statement to ITV News’ American partner CNN.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese got involved late on Thursday, suggesting that Jones try her luck with another Australian animal that might be more likely to defend itself.

“To take a baby wombat from its mother, and clearly causing distress from the mother, is just an outrage,” he said.

“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.”

CNN attempted to contact Jones but has not yet received a response.