A world-famous magpie is one step closer to being reunited with her human caretakers and canine friends following an intervention from the Queensland Premier.
Molly the magpie became a global phenomenon when nature lover Juliette Wells and her partner Reese Mortenson documented the unlikely ‘interspecies friendship’ between the bird and their couple. Staffordshire terriers, Peggy and Ruby.
Videos of the unusual trio of animals and their adorable antics earned them more than two million followers on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
But Mrs Wells and Mr Mortenson, who live in Coomera on the coast Gold Coast, were heartbroken on March 1 when authorities seized Molly amid allegations that the bird was being “unlawfully kept.”
Molly the magpie became a global phenomenon when nature lover Juliette Wells and her partner Reese Mortenson documented the unlikely ‘interspecies friendship’ between the bird and their pair of Staffordshire terriers, Peggy and Ruby (pictured together)
But Ms Wells and Mr Mortenson, who live in Coomera on the northern Gold Coast, were left heartbroken on March 1 when authorities seized Molly amid allegations the bird was being ‘unlawfully kept’.
Officials from Queensland’s Department of Science, Environment and Innovation (DESI) were concerned the couple did not have a permit to keep the bird they claimed belongs in the wild.
Now Queensland Premier Steven Miles has stepped in line amid a public outcry and thrown his support behind an emotional reunion between species.
“The Environment Department stands ready to train Molly’s parents as wildlife caregivers to obtain that certification so that Molly can be reunited with the family,” Prime Minister Miles said Thursday.
Mr Miles said he wanted authorities to help the family get a permit, and rejected suggestions the decision would set a bad precedent.
“What I’m most interested in here is what’s in the best interest of that animal, and if the department can work with the family to reunite them in a legal manner, I would support that,” he added.
‘I think sometimes common sense has to prevail and in this case the best outcome for Molly is to ensure they can legally care for Molly.
“I think if you look at the story, a better outcome is possible. “I don’t want any rules to be broken, but there has to be a way to stay within the rules for Molly to have a happy life with her family.”
On Wednesday evening, Ms Wells and Mr Mortensen said they were concerned for Molly’s welfare in state custody.
‘We have had Molly and the dogs around us for years. And not having him around: it’s so quiet in the house. We miss him very much,” Mrs Wells said.
‘I don’t actually know where Molly is. I don’t know if he’s okay.’
In a statement on Wednesday evening, a DESI spokesperson said the department shared the “community interest” in ensuring Molly was well cared for.
Now Queensland Premier Steven Miles (pictured) has waded into the row and thrown his support behind an emotional reunion
“The department shares the community’s desire to ensure that Molly is cared for in the most appropriate manner going forward,” the spokesperson added.
A petition to return Molly to the family has attracted almost 60,000 signatures.
The couple claims they rescued Molly as a chick after he fell from his nest in 2020.
Initially thought by Mrs Wells that Molly was a woman, she is actually a man and the name stuck.
Videos of Molly playing with the two Staffies quickly gained traction on the internet and formed a loyal fan base.
“Juliette has a passion for photography and she posted some pictures of Molly having fun with the dogs, but we never expected this to go viral,” Mr Mortenson previously said.
Mrs Wells took Molly home in 2020, believing it had been abandoned by her parents
But the couple “voluntarily surrendered” Molly to DESI on March 1.
Queensland law prohibits the domestication of native wildlife due to the potential impact on wildlife.
Animals that are sick, orphaned or injured can only be rescued and cared for by those who hold a rehabilitation permit and intend to release them back into the wild.
However, the couple claim they did not care for Molly the way a pet owner might care for a cockatoo or parrot, but emphasized that the bird is free to fly around and forage for food.
Mrs Wells was first asked to surrender Molly six months ago when authorities visited her home, but she was unable to capture the bird as it was perched in a tree.
Previously, DESI said Molly could not fly like a normal magpie.
“Unfortunately, he is highly habituated to human contact and cannot be released into the wild,” a DESI spokesperson said.
However, not everyone is in favor of Molly being sent back.
A wildlife keeper, who wished to remain anonymous, told 7NEWS.com.au the magpie ‘should not be returned’ home, despite huge online pressure for the reunion.
Another caregiver said there were strict laws they had to follow and their status as caregivers did not even guarantee their right to keep an animal.
“If one person is allowed to do this, what’s to stop every other Tom, Dick and Harry from keeping a magpie, a joey or a kangaroo in their backyard,” the caretaker told the publication.
Zookeepers who oppose the initiative to reunite Molly are reportedly receiving death threats and vicious abuse.