We must show greater
respect for wildlife

Social media influencer’s assault on a baby wombat draws international rebuke

By Irwin Rapoport

March 20, 2025

The scene is Westmount Park, it is mid-May and before you is a mother and her two-month-old child sitting along the bank of the pond watching the ducks. It is a tranquil moment and then suddenly Sam Jones, an American social media influencer, appears out of nowhere, and while being filmed, grabs the baby, telling the laughing cameraman “I’ve caught a human baby” as she runs away.

Now, imagine the mother chasing after Jones, who after joking about how the mother is pursuing her, goes back to the bank and releases the baby. Naturally spectators would be shocked, horrified and feel empathy for the mother and child, with several intervening directly.

Jones, with 90,000 followers, posted the incident on her social media pages, which are now private after receiving a ton of threats… for her selfish and insensitive action.

Cut to Australia last week when Montana-based Jones, AKA Samantha Strable, who describes herself as an “outdoor enthusiast and hunter,” pulled this actual stunt at night on a rural road after seeing a common wombat with her joey (child). Here is the footage of the incident, which horrified hundreds of millions of people.

Jones, with 90,000 followers, posted the incident on her social media pages, which are now private after receiving a ton of threats – including death threats – for her selfish and insensitive action. At least she returned the joey to the curb, although we have no idea whether the mother and child, who was terrified and squealing when held, were reunited. Had it been Donald Trump’s sons Donald Jr. and Eric, the creatures would have been killed on the spot. These two passionate “sport and trophy hunters” have traversed the planet killing wildlife, including endangered species. Like the Trump boys, Jones shares images of her with elk and other defenceless animals she has killed.

The deadly wildfires that ravaged great swaths of Australia in 2019-2020 were responsible for the deaths of an estimated 1.5 billion mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and birds. Tremendous efforts are underway to help the nation’s unique biodiversity recover.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke for his nation. “To take a baby wombat from its mother, and clearly causing distress from the mother, is just an outrage,” he said. “I suggest to this so-called influencer, maybe she might try some other Australian animals. Take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there. Take another animal that can actually fight back rather than stealing a baby wombat from its mother.”

It would be highly amusing to see an unarmed Jones attempt to pick up a newly hatched saltwater crocodile from the nest with its mother just a few feet away.

‘I suggest to this so-called influencer, maybe she might try some other Australian animals. Take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there.’

– Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, upon hearing that Jones had left the country, stated: “There’s never been a better day to be a baby wombat in Australia,”

In a prior statement, Burke told The Associated Press that Jones’s visa was being reviewed to determine whether immigration law had been violated. “I can’t wait for Australia to see the back of this individual. I don’t expect she will return,” he said.

In response to the outrage, Jones issued an online apology, stating she “was really sorry about the wombat incident” and that “it was a mistake.” Few, save for her devoted followers, believe her. In an earlier video that she shared, Jones held a wild echidna.

This informative news report perfectly captures the anger of Australians and people worldwide, as well as describes how crazy and insensitive tourists harass wildlife, noting the incident where a man from Hawaii visiting Yellowstone National Park, picked up a bison calf. The herd then rejected it, which led to the newborn’s being euthanized, which also drew tremendous ire.

There are proper ways to interact with wombats and dedicated Australians are doing their utmost to help rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned wombats, as well as other marsupials and reptiles.

The way we treat wildlife, be it in the land down under, Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas can be extremely cruel and callous. Years ago I heard a report of a blind hunter from the American mid-west who pursued mountain lions using dogs. In June 2015, Walter J. Palmer, an American dentist, killed a lion known as Cecil, just outside Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe by luring the intelligent creature with food, an act of murder that generated global revulsion.

Spring has arrived and in a few weeks, we shall be seeing many baby squirrels, groundhogs, skunks, raccoons, rabbits, foxes (if we are lucky), and fledgling birds from a wide variety of species in our parks and backyards. Some people are fortunate to have birds nesting on their properties, squirrels living in their trees and groundhogs dwelling in burrows under sheds. To experience animals raising their families is a privilege and we can do our part to protect them. Mothers, be they humans or animals, love their children and do all they can for them. Red-winged blackbird parents dive-bomb all who approach their nests.

Last year, a friend in Montreal came to the aid of a baby groundhog separated from its mother. “I had to come to the aid of a baby groundhog that my neighbour’s dog was attacking,” they wrote. “The groundhog happened to have wandered onto the neighbour’s property when he launched his dog on it. I heard the animal screaming and whimpering and went to find out what was happening. The neighbour held his dog inches away from the groundhog while some neighbours looked on.

“I told them that they should back off and let the groundhog go away on its own, which fortunately they did. I was going to call Wildlife Services if they did not,” they added. “Many people, especially city people, do not know that it is illegal to harm or harass wildlife. I overheard the neighbour say ‘There are too many groundhogs around here!’ Well, they have a right to live too and we have chosen to live on their land!”

‘… Walter J. Palmer, an American dentist, killed a lion known as Cecil, just outside Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe by luring the intelligent creature with food, an act of murder that generated global revulsion.’

If you see a juvenile bird or a baby squirrel that fell out of its drey (nest) on the ground, the mother is most likely watching over them. The squirrel mom will usually retrieve its baby. Feral and domestic cats allowed outside pose a threat to native wildlife, so if you have the time, keep an eye on the creatures and if help does not arrive after a few hours, that is your cue to intervene. There are several organizations which do excellent work rehabilitating wildlife so they can be released into the wild. This Google link provides a list of organizations in the greater Montreal area that look after wildlife.

To learn more about what to do if you see baby animals on their own, here is a useful link.

One summer I encountered an injured bat at Concordia’s Loyola Campus – it could not fly. I suspect it was attacked by a cat. I brought it home, placed it in a box, and sought help. Alas, no organization could help. I then went to a local veterinarian who cared about wildlife. After examining its injury, he concluded it could not be saved and humanely euthanized it.

The tragedy was that the bat, which was determined to live, had survived white-nose syndrome, which is decimating North American bat populations, only to be injured by a cat or a native predator.

Cats, feral and domestic, take a serious toll on native wildlife. The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative in a recent report, crystallized the problem these introduced predators are responsible for:

“In North America, many households allow their domestic cats to go outdoors without supervision. This practice, which may seem trivial, has a considerable impact on wildlife biodiversity, as well as on the well-being of cats. Indeed, after habitat loss, predation by cats is identified as the main cause of bird mortality related to human activities. It is estimated that in Canada cats kill between 100 and 350 million birds per year, in addition to a large number of small mammals, reptiles and amphibians!”

‘In North America, many households allow their domestic cats to go outdoors without supervision. This practice, which may seem trivial, has a considerable impact on wildlife biodiversity, as well as on the well-being of cats.’

– The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative

“In addition to companion cats with owners, it is estimated that there are between 1.4 and 4.2 million stray cats in Canada. Through their predatory activities, these abandoned cats have a considerable impact on wildlife. It is also important to understand that the life of stray cats is not easy. In fact, for a cat, the outside world is associated with significant risks of trauma (by collision with road vehicles, predation by wildlife or interactions between cats), illnesses and the risk of being lost. In fact, the life expectancy of an unsupervised outdoor cat is 2 to 5 years compared to 10 to 20 years for an indoor cat with supervised outdoor access. Cats supervised during their outdoor activities have a longer and healthier life.”

This article has taken us from a lonely Australia to the problems faced by wildlife across the planet and what we can do locally to support the myriad of creatures living side-by-side with us. What happened to the wombat joey is unforgivable. The only silver lining is that the plight of animals is being spotlighted.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WestmountMag.ca or its publishers.

Feature image: Wombat by Elliot Connor – Pexels