Brumby rehoming halted after alleged illegal slaughterhouse found

The discovery of an illegal horse slaughter site has prompted the NSW government to suspend its brumby rehoming program. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said on Friday a probe into the program would take place after public claims concerning the unofficial knackery near Wagga Wagga. The investigation into the program, … Read more

Insta-famous animal friends Molly and Peggy reunited as magpie returned to Gold Coast home with pet dog

Forty-five days after being seized by Queensland wildlife authorities, Molly the magpie has been returned to the home where he became a social media sensation for befriending pet dog Peggy. The state environment department announced the interspecies companions were reunited at their Gold Coast home on Monday, in a much-anticipated development that ends the long-running … Read more

Couple behind Peggy the dog and Molly the magpie warn crowdfunding campaigns to reunite Instagram-famous animals are fake

Crowdfunding campaigns pretending to be supporting a push to reunite a magpie with its dog best friend are fake, the couple behind the much-loved interspecies relationship have warned. Gold Coasters Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen have also urged people not to “spread hate” by targeting people who advocated for the removal of Molly the magpie … Read more

Molly the magpie and Peggy the dog one step closer to reunion after Queensland environment department offers help

A reunion between Molly the magpie and dog Peggy is one step closer, with the Queensland environment department willing to provide wildlife carer training to a Gold Coast couple. “The environment department stands ready to train Molly’s parents to be wildlife carers, to get that certification, so Molly can be reunited with the family,” Premier … Read more

Queensland Premier Steven Miles weighs after Instagram star Molly the magpie seized

Queensland’s Premier has thrown his support behind a bid to reunite Molly the magpie and Peggy the staffordshire bull terrier. Gold Coast couple Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen rescued the chick when she fell from her nest at a local park, and the bird formed an inseparable bond with their pet dog. WATCH THE VIDEO … Read more

Peggy and Molly: Constant complaints led to QLD authorities’ seizure of magpie in viral friendship with dog

A “small group of people constantly complaining” led to wildlife officials’ seizure of a magpie whose unlikely friendship with a dog gained a massive social media following. Magpie Molly and staffordshire bull terrier Peggy had more than 700,000 followers on Instagram and a book written about them after their antics, posted by Gold Coast couple … Read more

Magpie Molly, Insta-famous for friendship with dog Peggy, seized from Gold Coast home by wildlife officials

A magpie and dog friendship that has amassed a 700,000-plus following on social media has been ended, with the bird seized by wildlife officials. Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen kept Molly the magpie and Peggy the staffordshire bull terrier at their Gold Coast home, sharing their pets’ antics via Instagram and in a book published … Read more

The next pandemic? It’s already here for Earth’s wildlife

I am a conservation biologist who studies emerging infectious diseases. When people ask me what I think the next pandemic will be I often say that we are in the midst of one – it’s just afflicting a great many species more than ours. I am referring to the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza … Read more

Distressing scenes at Kingscliff with shark ‘in distress’ before it dies on northern NSW beach

WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT A large great white shark seen “thrashing” in the surf on Monday morning has died on a northern NSW beach. The approximately 4m female shark was first seen “in distress” from the beach at Kingscliff about 6am. Stream local 7NEWS free on 7plus WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Distressing scenes as shark dies … Read more

The Shark Zone: Where the predators have been tagged in Sydney Harbour, and where they’ve travelled

Locations where sharks have been captured and tagged, then released in Sydney’s waterways, have been revealed following an attack in the city’s eastern suburbs on Monday. Lauren O’Neill, 29, was bitten on the leg while swimming near an Elizabeth Bay jetty at dusk on Monday. The shark was most likely a bull shark, NSW Department … Read more