Influencer who took wombat from mother claims she was just trying to get it off the road
Sam Jones, who shares hunting and outdoors content to her 95,000 followers on Instagram, had been threatened with deportation after she posted a video on her Instagram account of her laughing as she ran over to a car with the baby with the wombat joey in her hands while its mother chased after them.
'I caught a baby wombat!' Jones says in the now-deleted video, as the baby hissed and wriggled in distress. She eventually put the baby down on the roadside near where the mother.
The video sparked backlash in Australia, with prime minister Anthony Albanese calling it an 'outrage' as he challenged her to 'take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there'.
Ms Jones, from Montana, shared a statement with followers in which she sought to defend her actions, saying she was 'extremely concerned' to see the wombats 'on a road, not moving'.
'As wombats are so often hit on Australian roads, I stopped to ensure they got off the road safely and didn't get hit.'
She added that the joey did not move or run off when she approached them, so she picked it up because she feared it may be sick or injured.
'I ran, not to rip the joey away from its mother, but from fear she might attack me. That snap judgement I made in these moments was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey.'
Ms Jones went on to say she was 'truly sorry for the distress I caused' and had learned her lesson.
In a second post, she defended herself against the backlash she received.
'Over holding a wombat, thousands threatened my life', she said. 'Let me be clear; these same people ought to understand the reality of Australia today.'
She pointed out that the Australian government has its own animal culling laws where permits can be obtained to kill wombats if deemed necessary, despite them being a protected species.
Over 40,000 people signed an online petition calling for Ms Jones' deportation, which led home affairs minister Tony Burke to say he was reviewing whether her visa could be revoked.
It is understood she left the country of her own accord.
The Wombat Protection Society said: '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 individual, who 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 onto 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. A baby of this size is highly dependent on its mother, and prolonged separation could have fatal consequences. Additionally, without proper training in wildlife handling, the tourist not only risked injuring the joey but also putting herself in danger.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Western Telegraph
32 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
Cutting throats comment made ‘in heat of moment'
In the wake of rioting following the Southport murders, Ricky Jones, 58, described demonstrators as 'disgusting Nazi fascists', his trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court was told. A video showing Jones, who at the time was also employed as a full-time official for the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) union, addressing the crowd in Walthamstow, east London, on August 7 last year went viral on social media after the protest. I was not invited to speak on microphone until the last minute and I had not planned or thought about what I was going to say in advance Ricky Jones Wearing a black polo top and surrounded by cheering supporters, the now-suspended councillor said: 'They are disgusting Nazi fascists. We need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all.' He also drew his finger across his throat as he spoke to the crowd. Jones was arrested on August 8 last year and interviewed at Brixton Police Station that night. A prepared statement submitted on Jones' behalf at the police station read: 'Yesterday at a rally in Walthamstow, I made a comment on microphone to a large crowd. 'I accept that these comments were particularly ill-advised. 'I was referring specifically to an incident the day before where some far-right activists had stuck a 'National Front Rights for Whites' sticker on a train and hidden a razor blade behind it in order that anyone trying to remove it would injure themselves. 'This had made me very upset. I grew up in the 1960s and 1970s when the National Front were very active and I experienced a great deal of racism in my youth. 'I did not intend for my comments to be taken literally by anyone and I did not intend to encourage or incite anyone to commit violence against any other. 'I am, however, extremely sorry for making the comments which were made in the heat of the moment and I very much regret having done so. 'I was not invited to speak on microphone until the last minute and I had not planned or thought about what I was going to say in advance.' The demonstration had been organised in response to plans for a far-right march (PA) Jones, who has been a borough councillor in Dartford, Kent, since 2019, was suspended by the Labour Party the day after the alleged incident. A medical report by experts from the prosecution and defence agreed that Jones 'suffers from a number of neurodivergent challenges', jurors were told as part of agreed facts. These include 'impaired verbal comprehension potentially leading to misunderstanding the impact of his words' and 'slower cognitive processing meaning he may not have evaluated the situation in real time'. Jurors were also told testing had established Jones suffers from 'impulsivity increasing the likelihood of reactive speech' and 'emotional arousal which can override deliberate decision-making'. The agreed facts read by prosecutor Ben Holt stated: 'The experts agree that these challenges may contribute to impulsive verbal responses in emotionally charged situations. 'These challenges can impair his ability to plan responses and inhibit inappropriate remarks. This could lead to Ricky Jones making regrettable statements when he is unprepared.' The prosecution's medical expert, Dr Scott Mackenzie, said Jones' difficulties appeared 'functionally on the milder side as demonstrated by his ability to successfully work in senior roles where he has to speak publicly'. The defence's medical expert Dr Alison Beck said Jones' difficulties were 'statistically and clinically significant'. The demonstration had been organised in response to plans for a far-right march outside Waltham Forest Immigration Bureau, jurors were told. It followed the nationwide violent disorder that occurred last summer after the Southport murders. Jones, of Dartford, denies one count of encouraging violent disorder. Judge Rosa Dean told jurors on Tuesday morning that a person had 'tailgated' them into a secure area of the court on Monday after CCTV footage was reviewed. The judge added: 'It's perfectly clear that the person who tailgated has absolutely nothing to do with this case and that person is not welcome in this court.' The trial continues.
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Bowling billionaire's son Peter Goodwin ‘cheated on wife with their kids' nanny – and demanded divorce on Christmas Day'
The nanny began working for the family at 21 and lived with them during the pandemic TIME TO SPLIT Bowling billionaire's son Peter Goodwin 'cheated on wife with their kids' nanny – and demanded divorce on Christmas Day' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BOWLING billionaire heir cheated on his wife with the family's nanny and demanded a divorce on Christmas Day, according to bombshell new court docs. Peter Goodwin, 40, son of Virginia bowling tycoon William Goodwin, was allegedly unfaithful to his clinical psychologist wife, Cara Goodwin, 40, with whom he shared four children. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Peter Goodwin is accused of cheating on his wife with their former nanny, according to new courts docs Credit: Instagram/parentingtranslator 5 Peter allegedly ran off with Annette Lombard, pictured in 2018 Credit: Facebook 5 Cara is a clinical psychologist Credit: Instagram/parentingtranslator While Cara looked after the kids, fast-living Peter was allegedly wining and dining their ex-nanny, Annette Lombard, now 27, according to court docs seen by the New York Post. Peter - whose super-successful father co-owned the AMF Bowling chain - reportedly sparked the divorce with a hysterical Christmas Day outburst. Cara 'sat in front of him holding their four-month-old daughter' as he swore they were done and fled, screaming obscenities, while the couple's other three youngsters watched, according to the court papers filed by Cara in Albemarle County Circuit Court. Within the week, Peter and Annette were keeping one another company at the lux Four Seasons Hotel in Surfside, Florida, the documents allege. read more in news 'poor feeling' Disturbing sign influencer's dog gave before her young son was found drowned Over the next few months, the pair bounded around the country engaging in "adulterous acts" - everywhere from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to Florida's Palm Beach, the documents claim. Annette began working for couple as a 21-year-old University of Virginia undergrad in 2019, according to the papers. She apparently lived for around a year in the house with the family from the spring of 2020 to look after the children during the pandemic. She became so close to the kids that they referred to her as their sister, the filing says. That same year, Peter hired Annette to also work for him at his office — and eventually promoted her to a vice-president of his company. By the end of 2020, Cara had gone to Peter with "growing concerns" about his relationship with Annette - which he "dismissed", the documents say. Explosive twist in Myleene's feud with Rochelle as it's revealed Saturday's singer gave her ex place to stay after split Cara gave birth to the couple's fourth child in August 2023. The papers say that, the very next month, Peter raised a "strong desire" for more independence to "focus on his own self-care". Peter filed for divorce from Cara in January 2025, court records show. He admitted to the affair in his response to Cara's allegations, the New York Post reports. There is a prenup in place, and Cara is seeking half of their marital assets. 5 Peter's dad, William Goodwin, was a former co-owner of AMF bowling Credit: Getty 5 Peter's Instagram is plastered with fast cars Credit: Instagram She is also fighting for child support and $500,000 to pay lawyers and experts, the filings show. The pair reached an agreement in February 2024 to share custody of their children. Peter filed a motion last month to seal the divorce case, which Cara's side is opposing. Cara and Peter got married in 2014. According to public records, they founded the Peter and Cara Goodwin Foundation. Peter also has multiple other businesses connected to his name. Cara, who holds a PhD, is the founder of Parenting Translator - a brand with over 135,000 followers on Instagram. The Sun has approached Peter and Cara for comment.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
DVLA driving licence changes: Everything we know on 'biggest change in decades'
Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones said the road safety proposals, set to be published in the autumn, will be the 'biggest shake-up to our driving laws for decades' Elderly motorists face compulsory eye tests and the drink drive limit may be reduced in a radical shake-up on rules for the road. Concern about the number of people being killed or seriously injured on Britain's roads has been rising. In April, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she is 'open to considering' making older drivers pass eye tests to keep their driving licence. And the senior coroner for Lancashire, Dr James Adeley, sent a Prevention of Future Deaths report to the Transport Secretary which related to the deaths of four people killed by drivers with failing eyesight. Mr Adeley warned that older drivers with 'compromised' ability may cause further deaths after a woman was struck and became trapped under a car driven by an 89-year-old man in a Waitrose car park. Meanwhile, an exciting heatwave forecast with maps revealing the exact date a 39C heat plume will scorch the UK. Rosemary McAndrew, 64, died from chest injuries on July 5 last year after she was hit by a car 'reversing at speed' while she was a pedestrian near the shop in Newark, Nottinghamshire. The car was driven by an elderly man who paramedics suspected 'may have had a neurological event' while driving. In the two years before the crash, the man's mobility had reduced, he reported back and leg pains to his GP, and went to A&E in October 2023 with symptoms suspected to be the result of a mini stroke. He died of dementia and gangrene in both feet eight months after the collision. And now changes to driving laws are set to be published by the government in the autumn, with ministers believing that the current safety messaging is not working. Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones said the proposals will be the "biggest shake-up to our driving laws for decades". Eyesight test for elderly drivers Under the shake-up over 70s could be forced to take an eye-test every three years to renew their licence and a driving ban for those who fail. The UK is one of only three European countries to rely on self-reporting of eyesight problems that affect driving. Cutting drink drive limit Ministers are also considering cutting the drink driving limit in England and Wales to match Scotland - a cut from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms. The government says it's impossible to say exactly how many drinks this is equal to as alcohol impacts people depending on factors such as weight, sex, and age. A maximum legal drink drive limit was first introduced in 1967. On Britain's roads last year, 1,633 people were killed and almost 28,000 seriously injured in traffic incidents, and numbers have remained relatively constant following a large fall between 2000 and 2010. Meanwhile, the number of people killed in drink-driving incidents has risen over the past decade, reaching a 13-year high in 2022 and prompting concern that existing road safety measures are no longer working. Tougher penalties for uninsured drivers Motorists who drive vehicles which are uninsured could also face tougher penalties under the new rules as well as people who do not wear a seatbelt. A Labour source said: 'This Labour Government will deliver the first road safety strategy in a decade, imposing tougher penalties on those breaking the law, protecting road users and restoring order to our roads.' Drug drive testing Other proposals are reported to include allowing the police to bring prosecutions for drug-driving on the basis of roadside saliva tests rather than blood tests as increasing numbers of drivers are being caught with drugs in their system. In 2012, government announced a new offence in regard to driving with a specific controlled drug in the body above that drug's accepted limit. The aim was to reduce expense, effort and time wasted from prosecutions that fail because of difficulties proving a particular drug impaired a driver. What the experts say Motoring groups have hailed the plans to overhaul road safety laws as "much overdue" and "a step in the right direction". Edmund King, AA president, said: "The time has come for a bold and proactive approach to road safety. This strategy is much overdue as road deaths have plateaued over the last decade. We believe these new measures will not only modernise our approach to saving lives but also provide renewed momentum in making our roads safer for everyone." But he wants the plans to go further and is urging ministers to introduce limits on new drivers under the age of 21 transporting peer-age passengers for six months after passing their test. Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at IAM RoadSmart said: "In 2023, there were almost 100 serious injuries or fatalities caused by defective eyesight. These tragedies are avoidable. Every driver has a responsibility to ensure they have good enough eyesight for driving, but vision problems can become more frequent as we age, hence the focus on over-70s. "This is a sensible step and motorists overall – even those aged 70 and above – support it. For most older drivers who are safe and 'self-regulate', these proposals are unlikely to be controversial." Changes backed by politicians "In no other circumstance would we accept 1,600 people dying [on the roads each year], with thousands more seriously injured, costing the NHS more than £2bn per year," a government source told the BBC. "This Labour government will deliver the first Road Safety Strategy in a decade, imposing tougher penalties on those breaking the law, protecting road users and restoring order to our roads," the source added. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has also said she is behind plans to bring in compulsory eye tests for drivers over 70. "I think we need to make sure that people driving on our roads and using our streets are safe," she said.
