Belgian teens face trial in Kenya for smuggling ants 

Kenyan authorities brought four men, including two Belgian teenagers, before court on Tuesday, charged with wildlife piracy over the smuggling of ants.

The trafficking of body parts of larger species of wild animals is common in Kenya, with authorities in the past combating the smuggling of body parts of elephants, rhinos and pangolins, among others.

But the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) described this case as “a shift in trafficking trends — from iconic large mammals to lesser-known yet ecologically critical species.”

“A shift in trafficking trends — from iconic large mammals to lesser-known yet ecologically critical species.”

What do we know about the ant smuggling case?

Two Belgian 19-year-olds were arrested on April 5 while in possession of 5,000 live ants packed in 2,244 syringes and test tubes filled with cotton wool. The ants in question are the sought-after Messor Cephalotes species also known as the Giant African Harvester Ant.

Kenyan authorities, which valued the ants at 1 million shillings ($7,700, €6,819), said the tubes were modified to help the ants survive for up to two months and evade airport security.

“Cotton wool was used to maintain the ants’ survival during transit, indicating a premeditated and well-executed trafficking operation,” the KWS said in a statement shared on X.

Entering the country on tourist visas, the KWS said the suspects “intended to smuggle the ants to high-value exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia, where demand for rare insect species is rising.”

Two other suspects, a Vietnamese and a Kenyan, were also being tried for trafficking following their arrest in Nairobi while in possession of 400 ants.

What did the suspects say?

The KWS said the four suspects pleaded guilty in a court session on Monday.

The Associated Press news agency said the two Belgians told the court they were collecting the ants for fun and did not realize their actions were illegal.

“We did not come here to break any laws. By accident and stupidity we did,” the Reuters news agency quoted one of the Belgian smugglers as saying, pleading with the court to show leniency.

The court adjourned the case until April 23, with the smugglers remaining in custody.

What is the Giant African Harvester Ant?

The red, large harvester ant is native to East Africa. The KWS describes them as “prized by collectors for their unique behavior, complex colony-building capabilities, and greenhouse pest control.”

The specialist British retailer AntsRUs said the species are “truly amazing to visually observe,” listing the price of a live queen as 99.99 pounds sterling ($132.44, €117).

“Messor Cephalotes are many people’s dream species. Queens are around 20-24mm long and have a beautiful red and brown/black coloration,” the retailer said.

Ants are a favorite species among many aficionados, who enjoy keeping them in transparent cases and watching them build complex colonies.

Reuters spoke to an unnamed source in the ant trade, who said suppliers needed a license from the KWS and a health certificate in order to export the species, which he described as in demand and difficult to obtain.

The illegal export of the ants “not only undermines Kenya’s sovereign rights over its biodiversity but also deprives local communities and research institutions of potential ecological and economic benefits,” the KWS said.