New twist in Molly the Magpie saga – as family face another hurdle to bring their beloved bird home
The former owners of an Instagram-famous bird have hit yet another hurdle in their efforts to get the magpie back from wildlife authorities.
Molly the magpie, a male bird, gained almost a million followers online thanks to his friendship with two Staffordshire terriers Peggy and Ruby.
The magpie was removed from the Gold Coast home of Juliette Wells and Reese Mortenson on March 1 by Queensland Environment Department officials amid allegations the bird was being unlawfully kept.
After Molly’s removal sparked outrage on social media, the couple and their loyal followers began petitioning the Queensland Premier to return the bird.
Steven Miles announced on Wednesday that Molly the magpie would be coming home ‘very soon’, as long as the couple obtained the correct wildlife permit.
However, it has now been revealed that Mrs Wells and Mr Mortensen will also have to meet a number of conditions in order to keep the wild bird in their home.
Officials have banned the couple from making any commercial profit from the bird, casting doubt on the future of their beloved Instagram page ‘peggyandmolly’, which has 815,000 followers.
Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen (pictured with Molly the Magpie and their two Staffordshire terriers Peggy and Ruby) have been banned from making commercial profit from the bird as part of a series of new rules they must adhere to in order to conserve the magpie.
The couple will also have to train as wildlife carers and advocate for Australia’s wildlife education (Peggy and Molly the magpie are pictured)
They also released the book “Peggy and Molly,” which features dozens of photos of the unique interspecies friendship.
The couple will also be required to train as wildlife carers, advocate for public education about native wildlife and continue to work with the environmental department to ensure Molly receives adequate care.
“Molly’s return is dependent on the family applying for a permit and agreeing to a series of conditions that will ensure the best outcome for the animal’s continued health and welfare,” the department said Thursday.
‘Once the individuals have demonstrated that they are able and willing to meet the conditions, Molly will be placed with her former caregivers.’
Conservation authorities said the magpie was removed from the couple’s home because they did not have permission to keep a wild bird.
They say the bird is highly habituated and ‘may have developmental problems’, meaning it can never be returned to the wild.
However, the couple claims that they do not keep Molly in the way a pet owner might care for a caged budgerigar or parrot, as he is free to fly away and forage for food and return on his own.
They say they rescued Molly as a chick after he fell from his nest in 2020.
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.
In Queensland, magpies and other wildlife protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 can only be cared for by licensed keepers.
These caregivers must demonstrate to wildlife authorities that they have the skills required to provide the necessary specialist care.
Queensland Premier Steven Miles announced that Molly the magpie could be returned to his owners as long as the Gold Coast couple sought the correct permit