Four Convicted for Smuggling Thousands of Ants from Kenya

A Kenyan court has imposed penalties on four suspects, including two Belgians, a Vietnamese national, and a Kenyan, for smuggling approximately 5,000 live ants, highlighting a shift in trafficking from traditional to lesser-known wildlife species.

In a rare case of wildlife trafficking, four men were sentenced in a Kenyan court for their attempt to smuggle thousands of live ants out of the country. The suspects, two Belgian nationals, a Vietnamese individual, and a Kenyan, were apprehended last month in Naivasha, where they had amassed about 5,000 ants at a guest house. Each defendant has been handed a one-year prison sentence or an option to pay a fine amounting to $7,700 (£5,800).

The quartet pleaded guilty, claiming that their intention was merely to collect the ants as a hobby, allegedly unaware of the legal ramifications of their actions. However, during the sentencing process, the court emphasized the significance of the particular ant species involved, which are highly sought after in exotic pet markets across Europe and Asia.

The smuggled insects included giant African harvester ants — prized by UK dealers for their visibility of up to £170 ($220) per ant. The two Belgian suspects, Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, both aged 19, were discovered with the majority of the ants, while their accomplices, Duh Hung Nguyen and Dennis Ng'ang'a, had around 300 ants.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), typically associated with the protection of larger mammals like lions and elephants, heralded this case as “landmark,” reflecting a disturbing trend in wildlife trafficking that pivots from well-known creatures to less familiar species that play critical ecological roles. With a rising demand for rare insect varieties, the case serves as a pivotal reminder of the complexities surrounding wildlife protection.

The Belgian youths had entered Kenya as tourists, enjoying the country’s well-known parks and lakes before their arrest. Notably, international treaties safeguard these ants from trade, and their smuggling indicates a pressing need for heightened regulations and awareness regarding lesser-known wildlife species.