A court in Kenya has sentenced four men to one year in prison or a fine of $7,700 (£5,800) each after they were caught attempting to smuggle thousands of live queen ants out of the country.
The group, two Belgian nationals, a Vietnamese man, and a Kenyan were arrested last month in possession of thousands of ants believed to be destined for insect collectors in Europe and Asia. They all pleaded guilty. The Belgians made a claimed that, they were collecting the rare ants as a hobby and were unaware that their actions were illegal.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Njeri Thuku, who presided over the case, emphasized the seriousness of the offense. She pointed out that the species involved were valuable and the quantity were thousands of ants, indicated more than a casual interest. “Already the world has lost a number of species due in part to greed. It is time to stem this tide,” she said. “This court will do what it can to protect all creatures great and small.”
The seized ants included giant African harvester ants, which are prized by some dealers and can fetch up to £170 ($220) each in the UK. Authorities found that the ants had been carefully packed into more than 2,000 test tubes lined with cotton wool to keep them alive during transit.
The two Belgians, 19-year-old Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, were found with 5,000 ants in Naivasha, a tourist town. They had entered the country on tourist visas. Vietnamese national Duh Hung Nguyen, 23, was arrested with over 300 ants and was described by the court as a "courier" whose travel had been arranged by someone else. The Kenyan, 26-year-old Dennis Ng'ang'a, was labeled a "broker" for leveraging his local knowledge of the ants.
Nguyen and Ng’ang’a were also convicted of participating in what the magistrate described as the illegal wildlife trade and potential bio-piracy.
David, who is a member of a Facebook group called “Ant Gang,” said he had 10 colonies at home in Belgium and had previously visited Kenya five years ago. He told the court he had bought 2,500 queen ants for $200 and regretted not knowing it was illegal. Lodewijckx claimed his interest was scientific and not for trafficking purposes, but the court rejected this defense. “There was no justification for being found with 5,000 queen ants. None at all,” said the magistrate, concluding that their actions went "beyond a hobby."
The three foreign nationals are said to be deported after paying the fine or completing their jail sentences.
Praising the ruling and calling it a clear affirmation of Kenya's zero-tolerance policy on wildlife trafficking, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) also made a statement and said, “Traffickers often underestimate the ecological value of smaller species, but their role in our ecosystems is irreplaceable”.
The agency, better known for protecting large animals such as elephants and lions, described the case as a landmark, noting a rising demand for rare insects in the global market. The trade of queen ants in Kenya is strictly regulated under international biodiversity treaties.
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