A stock photo of a bare-nosed wombat.Photo:mastersky/Getty
mastersky/Getty
A stock photo of a bare-nosed wombat.pelooyen/Getty
pelooyen/Getty
The country’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, called Jones' video an “outrage,” insisting of wombats, “They are gentle, lovely creatures … I suggest to this so-called influencer, maybe she should try some other Australian animals, maybe she should try a crocodile,” per theAustralian Broadcasting Corporation(ABC).
The animal appeared to be a common wombat, also known as a bare-nosed wombat, per AP.
All the while, the influencer played to the camera as the person recording her narrated what was happening at the scene. “Look at the mother, it’s chasing after her!" the cameraman said, while also laughing.
The video received backlash from the public, who condemned her act after it was posted online. The content creator has since made her Instagram private and appears to have deactivated her TikTok (samstrays_somewhere) account.
A stock photo of a bare-nosed wombat.Imogen Warren/Getty
Imogen Warren/Getty
Wildlife Vet Dr. Tania Bishop told the outlet that the joey in the clip looked “around eight months old” and noted that it’s in its stage of life where it would be relying on its mom “at all times.”
Dr. Bishop also told the site that the animal could have been injured due to the way the influencer was holding it.
“When she’s running, it’s not supported underneath, and wombats are incredibly solid, especially in their back end,” she told news.com.au. “So there’s every chance she could have fractured the upper humerus, or the top of the arms, or caused damage to the shoulders.”
“You can see the joey swinging, but it’s also hissing and crying out, which is a sign of extreme distress,” Dr. Bishop added to the outlet.
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In Australia, penalties foranimal cruelty offensesvary in each jurisdiction, with fines reaching as high as $235,600 for individuals and $250,000 for corporations. Jail time can be up to seven years.
PEOPLE has reached out to Wombat Rescue for comment.
source: people.com