A Kenyan court has imposed a fine of $7,700 each on four men for attempting to smuggle thousands of queen ants, a species vital to the country’s ecosystem. The case, experts say, highlights a troubling shift in biopiracy from traditional wildlife trafficking, such as elephant ivory, to lesser-known species.
The four individuals, including two Belgian teenagers, a Vietnamese man, and a Kenyan national, were arrested on April 5. They were caught attempting to export roughly 5,440 giant African harvester queen ants in two separate cases.
Magistrate Njeri Thuku, who presided over the trial, stated that the ants could fetch over 800,000 euros ($900,000) on the black market in Europe, Asia, and parts of North America, where ant enthusiasts maintain colonies in transparent tanks called formicariums.
Queen ants are highly valued because they are the only ants capable of reproducing and ensuring the survival of their colonies. As such, trafficking in queen ants threatens the integrity of entire ecosystems, particularly in Kenya.
The men were convicted of trafficking live wildlife species and were ordered to pay the fine or face 12 months in prison. All defendants pleaded guilty.
The case has raised concerns about broader networks involved in wildlife trafficking. Thuku noted that the Vietnamese defendant, Duh Heng Nguyen, had been sent to Nairobi by a Kenyan accomplice, Dennis Nganga, in an operation that displayed “all the hallmarks of illegal wildlife trade and possibly biopiracy.” The judge likened Nguyen’s role to that of a “mule” in drug trafficking, pointing to organized criminal activity.
Nguyen and Nganga both claimed they were unaware of the illegality of their actions, according to Thuku’s description of their pleas.
Meanwhile, the two Belgians, Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, admitted to their involvement but said they had acted out of naïveté. Court documents revealed that David was part of a group called the “Ant Gang,” and had purchased 2,500 queen ants for $200, according to his phone records. Thuku described their actions as “beyond a hobby,” likening the scale of the smuggling operation to the illegal trade of larger endangered species.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officials emphasized the critical ecological role played by species like the messor cephalotes ants, which are essential for maintaining soil health. These ants were intercepted at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, destined for the exotic pet trade.
Erustus Kanga, Director General of KWS, commented on the ruling, saying, “Kenya will not tolerate the plunder of its biodiversity. Whether it’s an ant or an elephant, we will pursue traffickers relentlessly.”
Although ant exports are legally permitted from Kenya with appropriate licenses, experts say the complex regulatory framework makes it difficult to navigate and enforce.