<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australian </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/animals" rel="" target="_blank" title="animal"><span>animal</span></a><span> advocacy groups are "appalled" by a US influencer's actions after she appeared to post a video of herself temporarily removing a baby wombat from its mother.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sam Jones, a hunting enthusiast from Montana, was filmed taking a baby wombat from the side of the road for a photo opportunity.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the since-deleted footage shared to Instagram, Jones could be seen picking up a small joey wombat and running to a car, while the mother wombat appeared to become distressed.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It is not known when or where the incident took place.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/donald-trump-rules-out-tariff-exemption-australian-steel-and-aluminium/2b339ef2-d341-475d-ad11-f62fb6f08dec" target="_blank"><strong><span>Major blow to Australia after Trump rules out tariff exemption</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jones then returned the smaller wombat to the grassy side of the road after filming the encounter.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) vet Dr. Tania Bishop told 9news.com.au she was "absolutely appalled" by the footage.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/influencer-filmed-taking-baby-wombat-from-mother-side-of-the-road-in-australia/0a4f364f-8edd-4c41-9f97-1258e2b4ecaf" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You see her grab the joey that's completely dependent on the mum away by the forearms, which are a really weak point, especially in a young joey like that," Dr Bishop said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"My concern is whether or not there was tendon, ligament damage, muscle damage, nerve damage to the upper arm... but not only that, there's psychological damage to both the mother and the joey."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dr Bishop said the joey was in "extreme distress" and it displayed that through hissing and calling back to its mother.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That's the joey desperately calling for the mum and a pain stress response," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And the mum risking her own safety crossing a road to come to the predator that's just taken her joey away, indicates just how much wildlife mums really do care for their young."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She said the influencer was lucky she wasn't bitten by the baby wombat or its mother.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's just a completely inappropriate and wrong way to interact with, with any animals, let alone our native wildlife," Dr Bishop added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/nervous-and-rushed-massive-fukushima-plant-cleanup-exposes-workers-to-high-radiation-and-stress/cf4b39a1-d5e5-4153-a31d-b00e3ab93391" target="_blank"><strong><span>Workers cleaning up Fukushima nuclear plant reveal toll</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A spokesperson for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) also slammed the footage.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Senior vice president Jason Baker said Australian animals are not "props" to use for social media.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"PETA's message is simple: leave animals alone. They are not props for Instagram," Baker told 9news.com.au. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This blatant disregard for wildlife is yet another case of someone exploiting an animal for social media clout."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/new-south-wales-news-woman-and-dog-attacked-unleashed-dogs-maitland/3af0fb85-a807-4cb2-8608-ed69af25f4e1" target="_blank"><strong><span>Olivia's pup Enzo was 'brutally' mauled by two off-leash dogs. She was also injured</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Baker said it was clear the mother and joey were "distressed" and hope the animals were now safe and had been reunited.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This should serve as a reminder that human actions can terrify and even harm others," he added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jones said in the video caption to her 92,000 followers it was her "dream" to hold a baby wombat.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The exact location of this incident in Australia remains unknown.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Elsewhere during her visit to Australia, Jones shared footage of herself cradling an echidna.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jones set her Instagram account to private shortly after </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/" rel="" target="_blank" title="9news.com.au"><span>9news.com.au</span></a><span> contacted her for comment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australian native animals are protected under both state and Commonwealth legislation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It varies from state to state, however some states including the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), New South Wales, Tasmania it is illegal to take, catch or harm native animals. No charges have been laid in relation to this incident.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>