Sam Jones, the U.S. influencer who drew criticism this week for stealing a baby wombat from its mother, issued a lengthy apology on her Instagram account Saturday.

An American influencer who sparked outrage after posting a video of her snatching a baby wombat from its mother while in Australia apologized on Saturday, saying she had acted out of concern for the young animal's welfare.

This is American influencer Sam Jones. Earlier this week, Sam posted and deleted a video during a trip to Australia in which she apparently took a baby wombat from its mother on the side of the road before returning it.

The American influencer who sparked outrage after a video of her snatching a baby wombat from its mother in Australia went viral has issued an explanation: “I ran, not to rip the joey away from its mother,

Sam Jones, who faced extensive backlash—including from the Australian government—after sharing a video of herself separating a joey from its mother, asserts, “Over holding a wombat, thousands threaten my life.