Jonas the tiger was in a cage in the trailer when it was stolen Friday morning. (Quebec provincial police)

A truck and trailer containing a caged tiger and two camels were stolen from a motel parking lot near St-Hyacinthe, Que., on Friday morning.

Provincial police said the exotic animals were supposed to be delivered to a zoo in Bowmanville, just east of Toronto, and the thief or thieves might not have known the animals were in the trailer when they stole it.

The animals were on their way back from a show in the Maritimes, police said.

The director of the Bowmanville Zoo, Michael Hackenberger, said the theft has been hard on staff at the zoo.

Before the theft, the stolen trailer can be seen in the background, behind the cage. (Quebec provincial police)

"These are animals that we've raised, that have grown up here, that we've worked with," he said. "So, yeah, it's very similar to having one of your children lost and having an Amber Alert being called.

"This is not about dollars and cents. This is about animals that we've had a deep and abiding affection and relationship with."

Hackenberger said the animals might not have been given water since 11 p.m. Thursday, and he's not sure how they will react if strangers try to approach them.

Police said the truck is a black Ford 350. The trailer is about 12 metres long and grey with small windows near the top. Both have Ontario licence plates, police said.

Sgt. Ann Mathieu said the vehicles were stolen just after 6:30 a.m. Hackenberger said the drivers checked on the animals minutes before the theft.

The motel in St-Liboire is about 20 kilometres east of St-Hyacinthe.