Latest news with #GiantAfricanHarvesterAnt
ABC News
23-04-2025
- ABC News
Four people, including two Belgian teens, plead guilty to trafficking giant ants in Kenya
Four men have admitted trafficking giant African harvester ants from a national park in Kenya. Roughly 5,440 queen ants were seized at Nairobi airport, according to court documents, concealed in modified test tubes and syringes. The bust has shone a spotlight on the lucrative trade, with the ants' combined value potentially worth up to $1 million in Europe. The ants were likely destined for formicariums — transparent cases where ant aficionados can watch them building complex colonies. The species, known as Messor Cephalotes or the Giant African Harvester Ant, are sought-after. The four smugglers, two Belgian teenagers, a Vietnamese man and a Kenyan national, pleaded guilty on Monday to charges of illegal possession and trafficking of live wildlife. They appeared in court again on Wednesday for pre-sentencing. "We are not criminals, we are 18 years old, we are naive, and I just want to go home to start my life," David Lornoy, one of the Belgian smugglers, said at an earlier court appearance. " We did not come here to break any laws. By accident and stupidity we did. " Over 5,000 ants were concealed in syringes. ( Reuters: Monicah Mwangi ) However, Samuel Mutua, a wildlife crime expert at the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said the ant case qualifies as organised crime. "Irrespective of their age, they were able to get a lot of ants," he told Reuters. The Kenya Wildlife Service director general Erustus Kanga said the case signalled a shift in wildlife trafficking, from large iconic animals such as elephants to lesser-known species which are nevertheless still critical to the local environment. "We're seeing organised crime syndicates diversify from traditional ivory poaching to target our entire biodiversity - from medicinal plants, insects to micro-organisms," he said in a statement. "This case represents far more than insect smuggling." A magistrate revealed new details of the case on Wednesday, including that the two Belgian teens were arrested at a guesthouse near a national park. The Giant Harvester Ants are vital to the local Kenyan ecosystem, helping distribute important seeds. The species are under threat from other issues, including the use of pesticides and habitat destruction. Reuters
Russia Today
19-04-2025
- Russia Today
African state busts exotic-ant traffickers (IMAGES)
The Kenyan authorities have disrupted a major wildlife trafficking operation involving the attempted smuggling of approximately 5,000 live queen ants, including the rare Messor Cephalotes species, also known as the Giant African Harvester Ant. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) reported on Tuesday that the ants were destined for exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia. The smuggled ants, according to dealers in the UK, can be worth as much as £170 ($220) apiece. 'Investigations revealed that the test tubes had been designed to sustain the ants for up to two months and evade airport security detection,' the KWS said in a statement. The organization called the incident 'premeditated.' Four individuals – two Belgians, a Vietnamese, and a Kenyan – were apprehended on Monday and have pleaded guilty to charges of illegal possession and trafficking of live wildlife. They are currently in custody and await sentencing scheduled for April 23. Reuters quoted David Lornoy, one of the Belgian smugglers, as saying, 'We did not come here to break any laws. By accident and stupidity we did,' and appealed for leniency. Images of the confiscated items published by the KWS show numerous containers lined with cotton wool, each containing two or three ants. 'This unprecedented case signals a shift in trafficking trends – from iconic large mammals to lesser-known yet ecologically critical species,' the KWS said in a statement. Messor cephalotes is a monogynous ant species, with colonies reaching up to 5,000 workers. Their diet mainly consists of seeds, which they gather and store within their nests – contributing significantly to the ecosystem by dispersing seeds and enhancing soil structure. The queen typically ranges in size from 22 to 25mm. Pat Stanchev, the general manager of the insect-trading website Best Ants UK, told the BBC that their appeal as pets comes from their large, beautiful appearance.
Express Tribune
16-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Teen tourists admit guilt in Kenya's first ant trafficking case
Listen to article Kenyan prosecutors have charged two Belgian teenagers and two other men with wildlife trafficking after authorities intercepted a large haul of live ants intended for exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia. The suspects aged 19 and travelling on tourist visas were arrested on 5 April in possession of around 5,000 queen ants packed in 2,244 syringes and test tubes filled with cotton wool. The species, Messor Cephalotes, also known as the Giant African Harvester Ant, is highly prized by collectors. Authorities valued the shipment at 1 million Kenyan shillings ($7,800). The modified tubes were designed to keep the ants alive for up to two months while avoiding airport security detection, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). "This is a premeditated and well-executed trafficking operation," KWS said in a statement, calling it a landmark case in the fight against biopiracy. The agency added that the attempt to smuggle ecologically vital species marks a shift from trafficking large mammals to lesser-known organisms. Two other men — a Vietnamese national and a Kenyan — were arrested separately with 400 ants and also pleaded guilty. During a court hearing on Tuesday, one of the Belgians, David Lornoy, told the judge they had collected the ants "for fun" and were unaware of Kenyan wildlife laws. "By accident and stupidity we did," he said, asking the court for leniency. Photo: REUTERS The court has adjourned the case until 23 April. All four men remain in custody while pre-sentencing reports are prepared by the KWS, National Museums of Kenya and the probation office. Ant experts say Messor Cephalotes queens can sell for more than £99 ($132) each. A British seller, AntsRUs, described them as a dream species, though the retailer is currently out of stock. Exporting native wildlife from Kenya without authorisation violates biodiversity laws, and officials stressed the case highlights the need for global cooperation to protect genetic resources.
Al Arabiya
15-04-2025
- Al Arabiya
Kenyan agents bust plot to smuggle giant ants for sale to foreign insect lovers
Four smugglers caught trying to transport thousands of live ants out of Kenya for sale on exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia will be sentenced for trafficking wildlife in a case being hailed as a milestone by the Kenya Wildlife Service. The KWS said authorities had intercepted live queen ants, including from the sought-after Messor Cephalotes species also known as the Giant African Harvester Ant, concealed in modified test tubes and syringes. 'Investigations revealed that the test tubes had been designed to sustain the ants for up to two months and evade airport security detection,' the KWS said in a statement, describing this as 'premeditated and well-executed'. While some people may see ants as a picnic-ruining nuisance, aficionados enjoy keeping them in formicariums, transparent cases where they can watch them building complex colonies. A court document seen by Reuters stated that the authorities had intercepted about 5,000 queens packed in 2,244 containers, with a street value of about 1 million Kenyan shillings ($7,800). Two Belgians, one Vietnamese and one Kenyan pleaded guilty on Monday to charges of illegal possession and trafficking of live wildlife and appeared again on Tuesday at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Court. 'We did not come here to break any laws. By accident and stupidity we did,' said David Lornoy, one of the Belgian smugglers, as he asked the court to show leniency. The court adjourned the case until April 23, when it will consider pre-sentencing reports from the KWS, National Museums of Kenya and the probation officer. The smugglers are in custody. One source in the ant trade, who asked not to be named because it is a small world and they did not wish to speak for others, said suppliers needed a licence from the KWS and a health certificate in order to export Messor Cephalotes. The source said the species, native to Kenya, was much in demand and hard to obtain. The KWS trumpeted the case as a landmark in the fight against biopiracy because it involved the attempted export of Kenya's genetic resources without prior informed consent or benefit-sharing, in direct violation of the law. 'This unprecedented case signals a shift in trafficking trends - from iconic large mammals to lesser-known yet ecologically critical species,' it said in a statement. The specialist British retailer AntsRUs described the species as 'truly amazing to visually observe'. 'Messor Cephalotes are many people's dream species. Queens are around 20-24mm long and have a beautiful red and brown/black coloration,' it said. AntsRUs lists the price of a live queen from the species as 99.99 pounds ($132.44), although they are currently out of stock.
Reuters
15-04-2025
- Reuters
Kenyan agents bust plot to smuggle giant ants for sale to foreign insect lovers
NAIROBI, April 15 (Reuters) - Four smugglers caught trying to transport thousands of live ants out of Kenya for sale on exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia will be sentenced for trafficking wildlife in a case being hailed as a milestone by the Kenya Wildlife Service. The KWS said authorities had intercepted live queen ants, including from the sought-after Messor Cephalotes species also known as the Giant African Harvester Ant, concealed in modified test tubes and syringes. "Investigations revealed that the test tubes had been designed to sustain the ants for up to two months and evade airport security detection," the KWS said in a statement, describing this as "premeditated and well-executed". While some people may see ants as a picnic-ruining nuisance, aficionados enjoy keeping them in formicariums, transparent cases where they can watch them building complex colonies. A court document seen by Reuters stated that the authorities had intercepted about 5,000 queens packed in 2,244 containers, with a street value of about 1 million Kenyan shillings ($7,800). Two Belgians, one Vietnamese and one Kenyan pleaded guilty on Monday to charges of illegal possession and trafficking of live wildlife and appeared again on Tuesday at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Court. "We did not come here to break any laws. By accident and stupidity we did," said David Lornoy, one of the Belgian smugglers, as he asked the court to show leniency. The court adjourned the case until April 23, when it will consider pre-sentencing reports from the KWS, National Museums of Kenya and the probation officer. The smugglers are in custody. One source in the ant trade, who asked not to be named because it is a small world and they did not wish to speak for others, said suppliers needed a licence from the KWS and a health certificate in order to export Messor Cephalotes. The source said the species, native to Kenya, was much in demand and hard to obtain. The KWS trumpeted the case as a landmark in the fight against biopiracy because it involved the attempted export of Kenya's genetic resources without prior informed consent or benefit-sharing, in direct violation of the law. "This unprecedented case signals a shift in trafficking trends - from iconic large mammals to lesser-known yet ecologically critical species," it said in a statement. The specialist British retailer AntsRUs described the species as "truly amazing to visually observe". "Messor Cephalotes are many people's dream species. Queens are around 20-24mm long and have a beautiful red and brown/black coloration," it said. AntsRUs lists the price of a live queen from the species as 99.99 pounds ($132.44), although they are currently out of stock.
