In a world where social media influencers often set trends and shape opinions, it’s disheartening to witness instances where their actions lead to public outrage and calls for accountability. Such is the case with an American hunting influencer who has found herself at the centre of a storm of criticism after a video of her surfaced online.
Her actions in the video have raised serious questions about her respect for wildlife and professional ethics. The public reaction has been swift and unforgiving, with many Australians and wildlife advocates calling for her to be banned from visiting Australia and even deported.
The influencer, identified as Sam Jones, who also goes by Samantha Strable in hunting circles, claims to be a ‘wildlife biologist and environmental scientist.’ Her controversial video, which has since been deleted from her social media account amidst the backlash, depicted a nighttime scene where she is seen capturing a wild baby wombat on the side of a road.
The footage shows the distress of the mother wombat as she chases after her joey, which is being held aloft by the influencer for a photo. The man filming the incident can be heard laughing, adding a layer of insensitivity to the already disturbing footage.
American hunting influencer removes baby wombat from distressed mother. Is this legal?
by
u/AnimalsChasingCars in
australia
The influencer’s actions have not only sparked a social media uproar but have also drawn the attention of wildlife experts and authorities.
Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, all Australian animals are protected, and the act of removing a baby wombat from its mother is illegal. WIRES, a wildlife rescue organisation, has confirmed the illegality of the influencer’s actions. The organisation also cited that penalties for such offenses can be severe, including hefty fines and potential imprisonment.
Dr Tania Bishop, a WIRES wildlife vet, has expressed her concern, noting that the wombat in the video is an at-foot joey, completely dependent on its mother for protection and sustenance.
She said the manner in which Jones handled the joey could have caused it serious injury, and the distress of both the baby and its mother was evident. She also highlighted the additional danger posed to the mother wombat, which could have been hit by a car during the incident.
The sentiment is clear: such behaviour is not only ‘extremely unacceptable’ but also reflects a profound disrespect for the country’s wildlife and natural heritage.
In response to the backlash, Jones has made her social media accounts private and attempted to defend her actions by claiming that the baby wombat was only held for a minute and then released unharmed. However, her social media feed, which features images of her with dead animals and other questionable interactions with wildlife, suggests a pattern of behaviour that is at odds with her claims of being a wildlife advocate.
The incident has yet to result in any legal action against Jones, but it has certainly ignited a conversation about the responsibilities of influencers and the need for greater awareness and respect for wildlife conservation.
Meanwhile, many online users are calling for the influencer’s deportation. While Jones already deleted her video, it has been re-uploaded on an online forum.
‘This [is] horrible. The RSPCA or the Department of Environment needs to prosecute her for interfering with wildlife. A big fine, perhaps 200 hours of community service. Then, deport her,’ said one commenter.
‘That c*** should be deported,’ echoed another.
‘Arrest. Fine. Deport. Ban,’ wrote someone else.
As Australians and wildlife enthusiasts around the world continue to voice their outrage, it’s clear that this story has struck a chord and serves as a cautionary tale for anyone who might consider wildlife as mere props for social media clout.
What are your thoughts on this incident? Share them with your fellow YourLifeChoices readers in the comments below.
Also read: The barking banter that got a whole community howling
Red headline in email says ‘an expat,’ implies this dreadful woman is an Australian. Nothing in the article says this. Get your facts straight.
Thanks for this feedback, @rtrish. It’s spot on and I apologise for the oversight.
Hope someone alerts the ABF so she is caught coming in or going out of Australia.
Reports say she left Australia Friday morning… she never should’ve come here if that’s what she thinks is acceptable behaviour.
Americans – mostly young people – have so little respect for anything that isn’t American. But even a dim-witted social “influencer” should be able to work out that interfering with wildlife can upset the balance of the ecosystem. What absolute tools these young people are! At least they’ll likely be responsible for the human race being wiped from the face of the earth sooner rather than later.
Couldn’t have said it better, Margaret. What people these days will do for their turn in the limelight…
There is far more to this than any of those commenting seem to know. The knowledge from the young woman is greater than many are aware.
Yes, farmers in Tasmania may cull (that means kill) wombats that are destroying crops or creating dangers for stock with their burrows.
The actions by the young lady were to be commended in that she and her partner did stop for what they thought was an injured wombat on the rural road at night.
She does claim that when she approached the apparently immobile adult wombat, she picked up the joey and the mother reacted immediately.
Inspite of the claim that the joey was still 100% dependent upon the mother, the size of it suggests that it was actually able to graze in it’s own right but continued to supplement feed from its’ mother.
The expressed outrage from many is unjustified when the full situation is considered.