A U.S. influencer has drawn anger and criticism in Australia, together with from the nation’s Prime Minister, after she was filmed taking a child wombat within the wild, separating it from its mom.

The video purportedly exhibits influencer Sam Jones, who has over 90,000 followers on Instagram underneath the deal with “samstrays_somewhere.” Per her Instagram bio, she’s an“outside fanatic & hunter,” who hails from Montana. The video in query, filmed in an unknown location in Australia, exhibits Jones operating throughout the highway to a automobile, with the child wombat in her fingers, and the child’s mom operating behind. After the wombat hisses, seemingly in misery, Jones finally returns the animal to the bush.

The video has since been deleted, and Jones has now made her Instagram profile personal. 

Regardless of the unique video being deleted, the footage continues to be shared throughout social media, drawing ire worldwide. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has additionally joined the criticism towards Jones.

“To take a child wombat from its mom… is simply an outrage,” Albanese said in a press conference on Thursday. “I counsel to this so-called influencer, perhaps she would possibly attempt another Australian animals. Take a child crocodile from its mom and see the way you go there. Take one other animal that may really struggle again.”

This comes after a press release from Dwelling Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who stated that Jones’ journey visa can be underneath overview to see if she violated the phrases of her keep within the nation.

“Given the extent of scrutiny that may occur if she ever applies for a visa once more, I’ll be stunned if she even bothers,” he stated in an electronic mail assertion, according to CNN. “I can’t anticipate Australia to see the again of this particular person, I don’t anticipate she is going to return.”

Animal advocacy teams have additionally spoken out concerning the footage. Per The Guardian, Dr. Di Evans, a senior scientific officer at RSPCA Australia, stated of the video: “The misery brought on by the callous act is clear with the joey screeching for his or her mom and the mom being extraordinarily anxious. Eradicating a joey from their mom is extraordinarily distressing and any separation is dangerous.”

CNN notes that based on Australian broadcaster the ABC, Jones spoke out concerning the incident earlier than switching her social media channels to non-public, saying the child wombat was “fastidiously held for one minute in whole after which launched again to mother.”