German police earn their stripes with zebra-loaded van stop

German police officers found themselves face-to-face with two zebras, six monkeys and several other exotic animals after stopping a van on the Dutch border, the force said on Monday.

Also on board were an antelope, a swan, a buzzard and a serval — a small wildcat native to Africa — federal police said in a statement.

Police carried out the check on the Polish-registered vehicle as it tried to enter on Friday via Bunde in northwestern Germany on the Dutch border.

The two Polish occupants, aged 23 and 31, could not provide any proof of where the animals came from nor the required documentation.

Police also said the animals were not safely loaded in the van, adding that they were investigating suspected violations of animal protection and wildlife conservation rules.

The van was stopped from entering Germany while the animals were handed over to authorities in the Netherlands, where they are being cared for at a shelter, police said.

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