Owner admits the animals - including cubs - may have to be put down

Rene Strickler, the zoo owner, fears he will have to euthanise the animals
This includes lions, tigers and pumas, as well as a bear and handling pets
A court order has been extended while they try to find them a new home
Swiss bailiffs were forced to cancel their plans to evict Mr Strickler

By Corey Charlton for MailOnline

Published: 9 February 2016

The bankrupt owner of a zoo has admitted almost 40 animals, including lions, tigers and a bear, will have to be put down if a new investor is not found.

Rene Strickler, the owner of Raubtierpark in Subingen, Switzerland, is no longer able to pay rent and is facing eviction from the site.

But he fears he will be forced to euthanise the zoo's 18 big cats and more than 20 other animals if he is required to close.

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Two of the tigers in Raubtierpark, Subingen, play fight with each other in the big cats' pond

The two tigers, one of which is white, are among the 18 big cats currently living in the park

Bailiffs have been forced to cancel plans to evict the zoo because they have nowhere to put the big cats

A white tiger plays with a toy ball while relaxing inside the big cat pond at the park in Switzerland

The two tigers are best friends and often delighted crowds with their raucous play fights

As well as tigers, the park is home to lions, pumas, a bear and a 20 animal-strong petting zoo

Two teenage lions wrestle while sitting in the grass at the park, which is to be evicted by court order

They are among more than 40 animals that will be euthanised if the park is ordered to close, its owner says

He said: 'I tell you quite openly, these animals are so close to me that if you try to move them they would have a broken heart.'

He claimed it was not possible to move the animals on to other zoos, adding: 'They would not survive the journey.

'They will have to be killed and that would cause protests around the entire world.'

Swiss bailiffs were forced to cancel their plans to evict the entire zoo because they do not have anywhere to put the animals.

A spokesman for the bailiffs, who were ordered in over the failure of Mr Strickler, a former circus boss, to pay rent, confirmed that it was a unique situation.

The spokesman told Swiss media: 'At worst we might end up with a dog or cat which would end up in animal home, but 18 big cats is another matter.'

The owner of the land, Espace Real Estate, had wanted the zoo with its animals moved out by the end of last year.

Despite a court order, this proved impossible because there was nowhere to house the animals. This has now been extended while a new solution is sought.

Local experts confirmed it would be difficult to find homes for the animals in Europe and Strickler has said that if the land is seized, the only option will be to put them all to sleep.