Delivery van with zebras, monkeys, antelope, serval, buzzard and swan arrested at the Dutch border

Two zebras, six monkeys, an antelope, a serval, a buzzard and a swan were together in a delivery van. It is not the start of a bad joke, but the discovery of agents who opened the cargo hold of a delivery van last Friday, at the border crossing near Nieuweschans, in Groningen. Two men from Poland intended to smuggle the special mix of different animal species Germany, the German police announced. The animals – including a number of potential natural enemies of each other – were not safely transported.

Where the zebras, monkeys, antelope, serval, buzzard and swan come from is unclear. The two men, 31 and 23 years old, could not explain it and the transport documents were not in order.

The German police have drawn up an official report, but has « left further investigation into the Polish drivers » to the Dutch police, they announced to the NOS.

This is confirmed by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), which seized the animals. A spokesperson says it is « a very bizarre find. » They are now mainly « very curious where the animals come from » and whether it is « about illegal smuggling. » The animals in question have since been examined by a veterinarian and transferred to various storage holders.

None of the animals transported in the delivery van is on ‘the home and hobby animal list’ with animals that are suitable for keeping at home

‘Extremely sad’

Where the animals are housed, it is not announced as usual, says Peter de Haan, spokesperson for Stichting AAP. The AAP Foundation is one of the possible storage holders of animals that are seized by the NVWA. He can say that it is ‘extremely sad’.

At the moment, swans can be kept like ornamental bird, and buzzards by a recognized falconer. But with regard to the mammals, there has been a new home and hobby animal list since half past seven24, with animals that have been found to be suitable for keeping at home. None of the animals transported in the delivery van is on it.

In Germany it is different, De Haan says. « In Romania you have web shops where you can order all kinds of animal species. And also in large parts of Germany it is completely legal to keep these types of animals. » That there is animal smuggling in which the Dutch borders are also involved is therefore not unique.

With regard to remarkable finds of animal smuggling, he has several examples. « That’s how, » he says, « during a chase in which smugglers wanted to avoid border control the door of the van open. » The doorway fell « a wooden box with a lion cub in it ». He also heard about the arrest of « a Renault Clio » in Germany – A fairly small car – in which a wooden box was found, with « an adult puma » completely crushed. « 

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