A magpie made famous on social media may again be separated from his canine friends after a special carers licence was revoked.
The Supreme Court overturned the licence just months after it was granted to Molly the magpie's Gold Coast rescue family that includes his best mates, dogs Peggy and Ruby.
A group of wildlife carers successfully sought the judicial review, prompting authorities to admit it was a mistake to grant the licence to Molly's carers.
Molly was rescued by Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen after he fell from a nest in 2020, forming a happy yet unusual relationship with Peggy and Ruby that earned them social media fame.
However he was surrendered to Queensland authorities in March following complaints over the lack of a permit.
It sparked a public backlash, with then Queensland Premier Steven Miles even weighing in.
The outcry prompted state wildlife authorities to approve a special licence for Molly to return home weeks later.
The terms of the licence included no further commercial gain from the bird, and that his carers undertake wildlife training and ongoing work with the agency to ensure the bird received the best care and enrichment.
But the wildlife carers group sought a judicial review of the decision, saying they were concerned over the politicisation of the matter.
"We are the ones who deal with the wreckage of the social media fad of capturing baby magpies and training them to do cute tricks," said the applicant, who cannot be named.
"To see the former premier encouraging this idiocy in a desperate attempt to gain votes and a social media following was pathetic.
"To see the Department of Environment go along with the circus and start issuing licences was a step too far."
The Supreme Court ruled to overturn the granting of the specialised licence to the Gold Coast couple, with the department left to make a decision on Molly's future.
Jack Vaughan of XD Law, representing the wildlife carers, said the group was pleased with the result.
"The focus isn't this particular bird. It's about ensuring that the department, which is part of administering the system, is following the system and protecting wildlife," he told AAP.
The Environment Department conceded it made a mistake by granting the licence and was currently reviewing next steps.
"In trying to protect the welfare of the bird - which has always been our highest priority - we made an error, and we are currently considering next steps," a spokesperson said.
The wildlife carers who brought the review said they did not wish for Molly to be mistreated or euthanised.
Ms Wells and Mr Mortensen called it a "bump in the road".
"We are not sure because we have not been advised of the next steps, we will keep you all updated as things unfold," the pair said in a statement on Instagram.
"In the meantime let's live in the moment and enjoy the time we have together and let everything else go."
