German border police have arrested two Polish nationals who were trying to smuggle several wild animals out of the Netherlands in a van on Monday.

The van, registered in Poland, was stopped near Bad Nieuweschans in Groningen under the temporary border controls introduced by Germany last year.

Officials found two zebras, six monkeys, an antelope, a serval, a buzzard and a swan when they opened the van. None of the animals or birds were properly caged or tethered.

The men, aged 23 and 31, did not have a licence to transport the animals and would not say how they had come by them, or where they were taking them.

The animals have been checked by a vet and taken to shelters in the Netherlands Dutch police will continue the investigation into the case, German police said.