<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Australian government is now reviewing the visa of a US influencer who briefly took </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/influencer-filmed-taking-baby-wombat-from-mother-side-of-the-road-in-australia/0a4f364f-8edd-4c41-9f97-1258e2b4ecaf" rel="" target="_blank" title="a baby wombat from its mother in footage shared on Instagram"><span>a baby wombat from its mother in footage shared on Instagram</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Montana-based hunting enthusiast Sam Jones faced intense backlash yesterday after an undated video circulated online of her picking up a baby wombat from the side of the road as its distressed mother watched on.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jones' actions prompted swift condemnation from animal advocacy groups and has now caught the attention of the Department of Home Affairs.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></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/western-australia-news-ferry-passenger-spots-two-scuba-divers-allegedly-stranded-in-water-by-tour-boat/27abd2fc-3f40-4979-9fb7-82160d62dc19" rel="" target="_blank" title="Shannon was riding the ferry when he spotted two 'stranded' divers"><strong><span>Shannon was riding the ferry when he spotted two 'stranded' divers</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement the department was investigating whether the conditions of Jones' tourist visa was breached by her actions in the video.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The department is now working through the conditions on her visa and determining whether immigration law has been breached," Burke said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Either way, given the level of scrutiny that will happen if she ever applies for a visa again, I'll be surprised if she even bothers.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/sam-jones-wombat-video-australian-department-of-home-affairs-reviewing-visa/749a8080-0371-4f0f-b4ab-cdb9b02f53b3" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I can't wait for Australia to see the back of this individual. I don't expect she will return."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Animal advocacy group PETA also called on the government to fine Jones and cancel her visa for disturbing Australian wildlife.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>PETA also said Jones should donate money to wildlife rescue organisations.</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/energy-bill-price-hikes-state-by-state-breakdown-explained/d5a3073f-126a-4f4e-80d5-dd92ede526df" rel="" target="_blank" title="Which households will pay the most when energy bill price hikes kick in?"><strong><span>Which households will pay the most when energy bill price hikes kick in?</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>EXPLAINED:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/donald-trump-tariffs-what-they-mean-australia-everything-need-know-explainer/6b4053af-724e-4649-a574-b73498d2fc4a" target="_blank"><strong><span>How hard Trump's tariffs will hit the Australian economy</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If Jones is contrite and has learned any lesson, she needs to show it," PETA senior campaigns advisor Mimi Bekhechi said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"While she cannot ever compensate for the distress caused a wombat mother and her joey, she can help other wildlife in trouble by forking over cold hard cash to bona fide certified rescue groups that are currently inundated with wildlife displaced by Cyclone Alfred. "</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 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>She 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>Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) vet Dr. Tania Bishop told 9news.com.au yesterday she was "absolutely appalled" by the footage.</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/russia-ukraine-ceasefire-plan-more-details-needed-says-vladimir-putin/9bf4bbba-1be7-414c-9c3a-0bce2120561e" target="_blank"><strong><span>Ukraine calls Putin's bluff, so how will he react?</span></strong></a></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 said.</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>Jones set her Instagram account to private shortly after 9news.com.au 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. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>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. 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