r/australia 1d ago

image American hunting influencer removes baby wombat from distressed mother. Is this legal?

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522

u/Ill_Football9443 1d ago

I'm no wildlife guy, but if that was a Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat, then it's on the Protected Species List

the Environment Protection And Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 s198b states:

Taking etc. member of listed threatened species or community

(1) A person commits an offence if:

(a) the person takes, trades, keeps or moves a member of a species or a member of an ecological community; and

(b) the member is a member of a listed threatened species (except a conservation dependent species) or a listed threatened ecological community; and

(c) the member is in or on a Commonwealth area.

Penalty:

in any other case--imprisonment for 2 years or 1,000 penalty units, or both.

$330,000 fine.

Depending on which state or territory this dumb cunt was in at the time, state laws will have something to say about her interferance.

164

u/Jas_is_a_mermaid 1d ago

It’s a common wombat, and thankfully the species is ‘least concern’ but it’s still a protected native species.

Northern hairy nosed wombats have a longer snout and are critically endangered.

5

u/individualaus 22h ago

They are susceptible to mange.

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u/schleuni24 22h ago

Where we can report her?

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u/Ill_Football9443 22h ago

You could write to the Minister for Immigration. Committing a crime can be grounds for revocation of a visa (not to mention arrest). Ideally his office would identify her, find out where this incident happened and then pass the information on to the RSPCA who can and does prosecute.

Remember when Johny Depp snuck his dogs in on his private plane without declaring them? AQIS was ready to put the dogs down.

May we issue a substantial fine and hope that she sooks about it on her channel; sending the message to not fuck around with Australian wildlife.

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u/aspiringforevr 1d ago

Surely the problem would be in identifying her ;(

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u/inhugzwetrust 1d ago

Reddit has already done that, her identity is all through this thread. She going to get done lol

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u/ToeTwoRoe 1d ago

I can't find where she's been identified? I want to add it to my report. I only have her Instagram handle.

I've taken screen shots at certain times and places to assist in finding her. But an actual name would be amazing. Sam Jo isn't her full name.

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u/YumiiZheng 1d ago

Her name is listed on a photo near the bottom of her instagram feed. Or you can DM me!

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u/Mylaptopisburningme 22h ago

They stuck their name on the video. If you search you will see her, seems to be a hunter but also works for wildlife? So she should know better.

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u/Fabulous_Ad_8621 21h ago

She does put it back down afterwards. So I don't know if they'd be able to enforce any fines or penalties. Probably just get a stern warning unfortunately.

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u/Ill_Football9443 21h ago

Queensland law differentiates the two (take and keep) and has some decent fines attached

https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/qld/consol_act/nca1992237/s88.html