Two zebras and other wild animals discovered in van leaving the Netherlands
By Simone Jacobs
Two people were stopped by police at the German border as they tried to leave the Netherlands in a van filled with two zebras and six monkeys, among other wild animals.
Van filled with wild animals stopped at Germany-Netherlands border
During a routine border check near the German village of Bunde, a van attempting to leave the Netherlands for Germany was stopped. According to NOS, the van driven by two Polish citizens aged 23 and 31 was not allowed to enter Germany as their transport documents were not in order.
German police must have received a shock when they inspected the cargo area of the van. Two zebras, six monkeys, an antelope, a buzzard, a swan and a serval were found inside and were not secured safely.
Dutch police launch investigation into drivers
The drivers of the van would not say where the animals came from or where they were planning on going. Most of the animals would not be seen walking around the Netherlands - not outside of zoos anyway.
All the animals were removed from the van and examined by a veterinarian before being handed over to the Dutch police, which then transferred them to a shelter for care. The Dutch police are now investigating the drivers further, according to the German police.
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training. Read more