An American influencer who sparked outsourcing after having published a video of her snap From her mother when in Australia apologized on Saturday, saying that she had acted by concern for the well-being of the young animal.
The Australian authorities had threatened Sam Jones with expulsion after having published a video on his Instagram account of his race with a Wombat Joey in his mother’s hands by the road at night.
“I ran, so as not to tear the Joey away from her mother, but fear, she could attack me,” published Jones, who also uses the name of Samantha Stable, published on social networks.
“The instant judgment that I brought at these times has never been a place of evil or stealing a Joey,” she added.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that the young Wombat seized video was “just an outrage”.
Interior Minister Tony Burke said that his department was investigating to find out if Jones had violated the conditions of his visa before leaving the country on Friday.
Susan Montoya Bryan / AP
“There has never been a better day to be a baby Wombat in Australia,” said Burke after Jones left Australia voluntarily.
Burke said he didn’t expect Jones to ask an Australian visa again.
The animal seems to be a common Wombat, also known as Wombat with naked nose. It is a protected marsupial that is only found in Australia.
Jones, based in Montana, said that she had become “extremely worried” when she found the two books on a road that did not move.
“While the books are so often affected on the Australian roads, I stopped to make sure they left the road safely and were not affected,” said Jones.
“However, as we can see in the video, when I approached them, the Joey did not move or fled. I feared that it was sick or injured, and I made a judgment to recover the Joey and see if it was, ”she added.
Getty images
An unidentified man laughs as he films Jones saying: “I caught a baby Wombat.” They both note the mother’s assault sounds.
Animal protection experts said Jones could have harmed the Joey by swinging him with his two front legs.
Jones said that she had returned the Joey to her mother and made sure that they had both left the road.
“I did a lot of reflection on this situation and I realized that I did not manage this situation as best I should have,” she said.
“I learned from this situation and I am really sorry for the distress I have caused,” she added.
Jones did not immediately answer questions from the Associated Press on Saturday, especially where and when the Baby Wombat was captured.
A Wombat expert said that the video revealed that Joey had skin disease scab and died without treatment.
Jones also did not say at the AP where she was on Saturday.