The man can hear the laughter: “Look at his mother, it's chasing her!” The video was then deleted.
Watch: Australians anger at our influencers who take baby wombat from that mom
Australia's Minister of Immigration Tony Burke said the department is reviewing a video of Jones, also known as @samstrays_somewhere on Instagram, to see if her stunts violate the country's wildlife laws. It has been reported.
“The department is currently working through current visa conditions to determine whether immigration law has been violated,” Burke outlined in a statement Thursday.
an Online petition Supporting Jones' deportation has received 21,000 signatures so far.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is the latest to criticize influencers.
Albanese suggested that Jones attempt to do so with an animal that “actually can fight back”: “Take the baby crocodile from the mother and see how you can get there.”
The Wombat Protection Society says it was shocked to see Wombat Joey mistreat in the obvious snatch of “loving social media,” and wants to endure the strong penalty possible.
Hairy wombats relax at Cleland Wildlife Park in Adelaide Hills, Australia. (Tricia Watkinson/Newspix/Getty Images)
“[She] He then returned the vulnerable baby to the country roads – potentially putting him in danger of becoming a road kill,” he said in a statement, adding that it remains unclear whether Joey has been reunited with his mother.
Following the backlash, Jones, who has over 92,000 followers on Instagram, has kept his account private.
Her current location is unknown.
Penalties for animal cruelty crimes vary by state in Australia. Some fines amount to $14,000 for individuals and $157,00 for businesses. The crime can also be sentenced to a potential prison sentence of seven years. RSPCA.
Wombats are the world's largest hole-dig mammal.
