Ant Trafficking Uncovered: Million-Dollar Queen Ant Trade Busted in Kenya

Kenyan authorities recently dismantled an illegal ring trafficking queen ants, arresting Belgian teenagers, a Vietnamese man, and a Kenyan national. The queen ants, valued at about $9,300, could fetch up to $1 million in Europe. The case unveils a shift in wildlife crime from large mammals to critical, lesser-known species.

Kenyan authorities have uncovered an unusual wildlife trafficking operation involving queen ants, leading to the arrest of two Belgian teenagers, a Vietnamese man, and a Kenyan national. The suspects were detained at Jane Guesthouse in Naivasha, near Hell's Gate National Park, and are scheduled for sentencing on May 7th.

The seized queen ants, extracted from giant African harvester ant colonies, have an estimated value of 1.2 million Kenyan shillings ($9,300). If transported to Europe, experts predict their value could soar to around $1 million, highlighting the lucrative but illegal market for these insects.

The arrests spotlight a broader trend of shifting biopiracy targets from large mammals to less obvious, yet vital species. The Kenya Wildlife Service emphasizes the ecological importance of these ants, essential to the health of the Rift Valley ecosystem, and raises concerns about organized wildlife crime syndicates expanding into diverse species.

(With inputs from agencies.)