US influencer Sam Jones defends taking baby wombat, accuses Australians of hypocrisy

The controversial US influencer who fled Australia after snatching a baby wombat from its mother has opened up about the furore, hitting back at what she calls “hypocrisy” and claiming she is not a “villain”.

In a furious statement posted to her Instagram page, Samantha Strable, also known as Sam Jones, hit back at the furore surrounding her stunt, suggesting Australians were hypocritical in their treatment of native animals, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had wished her harm and the public backlash that followed her wombat video had put her life in danger.

“Am I a villain? Things, dear reader, are not as they seem,” she wrote.

“Over holding a wombat, thousands threaten my life.

“Let me be clear. These same people ought to understand the reality of Australia today. For the readers that are so angered by my mistaken attempt to help and that I am a hunter – do not be blind to your country.”

Strable then says the Australian Government allows and permits the “slaughter” of wombats in order to keep Australians fed.

The influencer could be seen picking up the baby wombat on the side of the road for a video. Photo / @samstrays_somewhere

“Thousands each year are shot, poisoned to suffer and trapped legally.

“Landowners rip up wombat burrows with heavy machinery, poison them with fumigation and shoot them whenever they can.

“Quietly, of course, so as not to face the wrath that has come upon me.

“Why, might you ask, do they kill them? Well, to feed you.

“The landowner is trying to survive, to raise you the lamb for your dinner table ... wombats get in the way of this.”

The Montana-based hunting enthusiast fled the country on Friday morning following a furious public response to the video she posted to her Instagram page.

In the video, she scoops up a baby wombat from the side of a road at night as its distressed mother gives chase.

An Australian man is heard laughing in the background.

Strable then holds the baby wombat up as it makes screeching noises.

“OK, Mamma is right there and she is pi**ed,” Strable says before returning the baby to the side of the road.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticised the actions of the US hunting enthusiast. Photo / Getty Images

The location of the since-deleted video is not clear.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ripped into the influencer in an astonishing rebuke on Thursday, challenging her to “take another animal that can actually fight back”.

“I suggest to this so-called influencer maybe she might try some other Australian animals,” he said.

“Take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there.”

Immigration Minister Tony Burke, reacting to Strable’s departure on Friday, said “there has never been a better day to be a baby wombat in Australia”.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticised the actions of the US hunting enthusiast. Photo / Getty Images

The Wombat Protection Society of Australia also decried Strable’s actions.

“We are expressing shock and concern over the actions of a tourist who mishandled a wombat joey in an apparent snatch for ‘social media likes’,” the charity group said on Thursday.

“The individual appeared to have no understanding of wombat behaviour or the severe stress caused by human interference and separation from its mother.

“She then placed the vulnerable baby back on to a country road – potentially putting it at risk of becoming roadkill.

“There is no clear evidence that the joey was successfully reunited with its mother.”

US influencer Sam Jones with the baby wombat. Photo / @samstrays_somewhere

Strable said the Australian Government also spent “tens of millions of taxpayer dollars” to kill off other animals alongside wombats.

“Your Government further spends tens of millions of taxpayer dollars annually to fly around in helicopters and shoot beautiful horses, deer and pigs out its windows.

“A swift death is often not afforded to these animals ... survival for these animals can become near impossible, and their lives, a constant state of fear.”

The influencer decried the killing of brumby horses at Kosciuszko National Park and called out the Prime Minister.

“Speak to your Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about that,” she said.

“Loving the National Parks and Wildlife Service for Australia while being angered at me for killing feral deer for food is hypocrisy at its finest.”

Strable then states “approximately 90 million” kangaroos and wallabies had been legally slaughtered for commercial purposes in the past 20 years.

“Are they not deserved of government protection as native species?”

“If you don’t believe me, take a look around the next time you go to Woolworths, where you will see kangaroo flesh sold as both pet and human food.

In a furious conclusion to the statement, Strable said “most of humanity selfishly cares far more about ourselves than we do the natural world”.

Wombats are under threat in Australia due to natural disasters, road kill, disease and climate change. Photo / Great Walks of AU

“In many articles, it was suggested that I go see a wombat in a zoo instead,” she said.

“Let’s be clear, breeding and keeping wild animals in captivity to be imprisoned in a zoo for our gawking pleasure is a sin far more egregious than holding one for a moment in effort to help.

“While the Prime Minister wishes harm on me for picking up a wombat, I implore you to take a good, hard look at what is currently being done in Australia surrounding the real issues it faces, the lack of power for tens of thousands of Aussies and the treatment of its native wildlife.

“Then, decide for yourself, if I, a person who certainly makes mistakes, am really your villain.”

Strable expressed regret for how she handled the incident and said she was “truly sorry for the distress” she had caused, but emphasised her only intent was to make sure the animals were not in danger.

“When we found the mother and joey on a road, not moving. I was extremely concerned,” she said.

“As wombats are so often hit on Australian roads, I stopped to ensure they got off the road safely and didn’t get hit.

“However, as is seen from the video, when I walked up to them, the joey did not move or run off.

In other photos of the influencer's time in Australia, Strable is seen picking up a baby shark. Photo / @samstrays_somewhere

“I was concerned it may have been sick or injured, and made a snap judgement [sic] to pick up the joey and see if this was the case.

“I ran, not to rip the joey away from its mother, but from fear she might attack me.

“The snap judgement [sic] I made in these moments was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey.”

She said she quickly looked over the animal and then returned to its mother, making sure the mother and joey reunited and went off the road together into the bush.

“I want to make it absolutely clear that this was never about social media or getting likes,” she said.

“This was not staged, nor was it done for entertainment.

“In my excitement and concern, I acted too quickly and then failed to provide necessary context to viewers online.”