I ran, not to rip the joey away from its mother, but from fear she might attack me,” Sam Jones, who also uses the name Samantha Strable, posted on social media.

American influencer Sam Jones faces backlash after snatching a baby wombat in Australia, leading to her apology and a debate over wildlife treatment in the country.

A video of the online influencer snatching the joey from the side of its mother drew calls for her to be deported. She left the country Friday.