The U.S. influencer who drew criticism this week for stealing a baby wombat from its mother issued a lengthy apology on her Instagram account Saturday, saying she only picked up the animal because she was afraid it would be hit by a car.
Sam Jones, a self-described “outdoor enthusiast” with more than 96,000 Instagram followers, found herself in hot water this week after she posted video of the ordeal, which showed the baby wombat struggling and hissing at her as its mother ran after them.
The video has since been deleted.
Jones said she saw the wombats on the side of a road, not moving, and grew concerned. She said she tried to ensure they both got off of the road safely, but when she approached the animals, the baby did not move, Jones said, so she “made a snap judgment to pick up the joey” to see if it was sick.
“I ran, not to rip the joey from its mother, but from fear she might attack me. The snap judgment I made in these moments was never from a place of harm or stealing a joey,” Jones said.
Jones said she was excited to see the wombat and “looked it over” quickly before returning it to its mother and ensuring the pair got off the road.
Upon reflection, Jones said, she realized she could have handled the situation better, but that her intentions were good.
“I have learned from this situation, and am truly sorry for the distress I have caused,” Jones wrote. “I want to make it absolutely clear that this was never about social media or getting likes. This was not staged, nor was it done for entertainment.”
Wombats are a type of marsupial found only in Australia and are a protected species. It is an offense to harm a wombat without a license from the authorities, according to the Australian government.
The incident drew the ire of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who called it an “outrage.” Thousands signed an online petition calling for Jones to be immediately deported from Australia and to bar her from ever returning.
On Friday, Jones left the country.
“There’s never been a better day to be a baby wombat in Australia,” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement Friday.
