Molly the magpie to be returned after Premier's shock announcement
The story of Peggy and Molly captivated the nation after the magpie was surrendered to authorities
Molly the magpie will be returned to a couple who took the native bird from the wild and turned it into a social media sensation, attracting over 2 million followers.
The announcement was made by Queensland Premier Steven Miles on Wednesday, more than two weeks after Yahoo News exclusively revealed Gold Coast couple Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen surrendered it to the Department of Environment (DESI).
“I just wanted to share an update about Molly the magpie. I’ve spoken to Reece and Juliette and reassured them Molly is in great spirits and is receiving good care," Miles said in a Facebook post about the Peggy and Molly account on Wednesday.
“This morning the Department has advised me that the couple can secure the appropriate licence. The team will work with them now to do that. It’s good news and means Molly can come home very soon. I’d like to thank everyone who has written to me to share their concerns and advocate for Molly’s return.”
His announcement has frustrated native animal rescuers who are concerned the return of the bird could lead to a spike in wildlife being used to gain social media followers.
Rescuers who had advocated for Molly to be seized, after it was allegedly taken from the wild without a licence, were inundated by thousands of abuse messages, including threats of violence. DESI staff are also understood to have fielded several angry messages. Yahoo does not suggest Wells or Mortensen are in any way connected to this online abuse, and they themselves have asked for the hate being pedalled toward those who called for Molly’s removal to stop.
DESI has refused to answer direct questions from Yahoo about the magpie this week. On Tuesday it issued a statement saying, “The department is continuing to explore what options are currently available to ensure the magpie receives the appropriate life-long care that it needs”.
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