Sam Jones, the controversial American influencer at the centre of a firestorm after being filmed taking a wild baby wombat from its distressed mother in Australia, has broken her silence in a lengthy Instagram statement.
However, her words have done little to quell the outrage, with critics accusing her of offering a non-apology while deflecting blame.
Jones, who describes herself as an “outdoor enthusiast and hunter,” was widely condemned after footage showed her laughing and running with the joey in her arms while its frantic mother chased behind. The backlash was swift and fierce, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese even weighing in, challenging her to “take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there.”
In her statement, Montana-based Jones insisted she was trying to protect the animals and claimed she had received thousands of death threats over the incident.
“The snap judgment I made in these moments was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey,” she wrote, defending her actions. She argued that she acted instinctively, fearing that the mother wombat might attack her.
“The video was not staged, nor was it done for entertainment,” she continued, adding that in the excitement of the moment, she “acted too quickly and failed to provide necessary context to viewers online.”
But rather than focusing solely on the controversy, Jones used part of her statement to launch an attack on Australia’s wildlife culling laws, calling them cruel and unnecessary. She referenced the killing of wombats, kangaroos, horses, deer, and pigs, igniting further debate about conservation practices in the country.
Jones’ response has done little to calm public anger. The Wombat Protection Society condemned her actions, calling them “appalling” and warning that her mishandling of the joey could have led to serious harm. “She then placed the vulnerable baby back onto a country road—potentially putting it at risk of becoming roadkill,” the organisation said in a statement.
Meanwhile, an online petition calling for Jones to be deported quickly gained traction, amassing more than 40,000 signatures. Australian authorities confirmed they were reviewing her visa status, but before any action could be taken, Jones left the country of her own accord.
PETA also weighed in, describing the video as “wildlife-exploiting content” and urging social media users to stop treating animals as props.
Despite Jones’ insistence that both the mother and baby wombat were unharmed, the backlash shows no signs of slowing. Critics argue her statement lacks true accountability and instead attempts to paint herself as the victim. “This is a classic non-apology,” one user commented. “She’s sorry she got caught, not for what she did.”
As the controversy continues to unfold, one thing is clear: Jones’ attempt to control the narrative has only fueled public outrage.
