The woman who famously grabbed a baby wombat from an Australian road – and promptly went viral – has now landed herself in hot water in the US. Samantha Strable, who also goes by Sam Jones online, was arrested in Wyoming over alleged hunting violations.
The 25-year-old, who was booked into a Sublette County jail on November 21, is facing eight misdemeanour charges, including six counts of false swearing, one count of taking wildlife without a license, and one count of nonresident hunting without a guide in a wilderness area, according to court records.
Authorities allege that Ms Strable lied about living in Wyoming to obtain multiple resident hunting licenses. Court documents indicate that she actually resides in Great Falls, Montana – a fact that was also reported back in March, when footage of her “harassing” a baby wombat during a trip to Australia went viral.
The wombat incident caused a national uproar in Australia. Thousands of distressed Australians called for Ms Strable to face punishment, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stating the country was “glad to see the back of her” after she quietly left amid the storm of controversy. A Change.org petition to ban the influencer from Australia gathered almost 50,000 signatures before it was closed.
In the infamous video, Ms Strable – a self-described “wildlife biologist and environmental scientist” – can be seen catching the baby wombat on the side of the road at night, while an Australian man films and hysterically laughs. With the joey dangling from her arms, she runs across the road, its mother in hot pursuit.
“Look at the mother, it’s chasing after her,” the man exclaims.
Ms Strable then holds up the baby wombat to the camera and smiles, captioning the clip that it was her “dream” to hold the native Australian animal. She later returned the young marsupial to its mother, noting she was “pissed”, but assuring viewers that “the baby and mum were safely united”.
The influencer’s apology, however, was as unusual as the stunt itself. She suggested Australians were hypocritical in their treatment of native animals, writing:
“‘Am I a villain? Things, dear reader, are not as they seem. Over holding a wombat, thousands threaten my life. Let me be clear. These same people ought to understand the reality of Australia today. For the readers that are so angered by my mistaken attempt to help and that I am a hunter – do not be blind to your country.”
Prime Minister Albanese responded with a rebuke that left little room for misinterpretation: “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.”
Ms Strable later expressed regret over the incident, insisting she only wanted to protect the animals. “When we found the mother and joey on a road, not moving. I was extremely concerned. As wombats are so often hit on Australian roads, I stopped to ensure they got off the road safely and didn’t get hit,” she said.
She has remained largely out of the spotlight – until now. US authorities reportedly received an anonymous tip in August claiming that Ms Strable “continues to buy resident tags even though she hasn’t resided in Wyoming over two years, and brags about it on social media to over 90,000 followers.”
Records from the Game and Fish license database indicate Ms Strable began purchasing Wyoming resident licenses in 2022, despite social media posts from April 30, 2024, to June 28, 2025, placing her in Montana and North Dakota.
The charges carry potential fines and jail time, though she was released on her own recognisance the same day she was booked. One can only imagine the next viral stunt: perhaps she’ll stick to stuffed wombats – or at least animals that can’t chase back.
Images: Instagram / Wyoming State Police
