Australian farmers deny slaughtering protected wombats

Australian farmers have strongly denied claims made by American influencer Samantha Jo Strable that they slaughter wombats by the thousands. Strable accused farmers of killing the protected species to protect their land, but farmers insist they only manage wombats when they pose serious problems. Strable, who recently left Australia, made her allegations in a social media post, claiming that the Australian government permits the culling of wombats. Farmers, however, emphasize that wombats are a protected species and that they do not kill them indiscriminately. The controversy escalated after Strable shared a video of herself with a baby wombat, which drew criticism for her handling of the animal. She later stated her intention was to save the joey, not harm it, and expressed regret for the distress caused.