US Edition
Rare-ant smugglers sentenced in African state
- A Kenyan court sentenced four individuals, including two 19-year-old Belgian nationals, a Vietnamese, and a Kenyan, for trafficking over 5,000 live giant African harvester ants in Naivasha in May 2025.
- Authorities seized over 2,200 test tubes containing ants that were being smuggled as part of a growing pattern of illegal trade in obscure wildlife species targeted for exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia.
- Law enforcement authorities, including the Kenya Wildlife Service, seized a large number of harvester ants originating from East Africa, prized for their queens that can sell for up to $200 each in international markets.
- Each offender faced a 12-month prison sentence or a $7,700 fine, with magistrate Njeri Thuku noting the traffickers claimed ignorance of wildlife laws and said their actions began as a hobby.
- The ruling signifies Kenya's commitment to counter biopiracy involving ecologically vital species and urges stricter enforcement to deter wildlife trafficking beyond iconic animals like elephants and rhinos.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Kenya: four traffickers of ants convicted by the courts
In Kenya, four people were convicted on Wednesday, May 7, for attempting to illegally export 5,000 live ants in test tubes. The loot is estimated to be up to €6,700 for resale, according to the courts. By April, these individuals had been arrested for illegal possession and suspected trafficking in wildlife in Nakuru, central Kenya. In the territory, wild animals are strictly protected and any trade requires a permit. But this does not prevent t…
Newcastle Herald
Kenya court convicts and fines four ant traffickers
A Kenyan court has fined four men about $12,000 each for attempting to traffic thousands of ants out...
Kenya court fines four men for trafficking thousands of queen ants
A Kenyan court on Wednesday fined four men $7,700 each for trying to traffic thousands of ants valuable to the country’s ecosystem, in cases experts say signal a shift in biopiracy from trophies like elephant ivory to lesser-known species.
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