US Influencer Faces Backlash for Handling Baby Wombat in Australia

Sam Jones, an American content creator, is under fire after separating a joey from its mother, raising animal welfare and legal concerns.

Sam Jones, a US influencer, posted a now-deleted video of herself picking up a baby wombat from the wild, temporarily separating it from its mother.
Animal welfare experts criticized the act, citing potential physical harm to the joey and severe distress to both the mother and baby wombat.
The video shows the joey screeching and hissing while the mother wombat appeared visibly anxious and followed Jones during the encounter.
Australian laws prohibit handling native wildlife without legal justification, and advocacy groups have called for stricter enforcement in this case.
Jones has since made her Instagram account private and claimed the joey and its mother reunited, though experts questioned the likelihood of this outcome.