Overview

• Two Belgian teenagers, a Vietnamese national, and a Kenyan have pleaded guilty to trafficking 5,000 queen ants of the Giant African Harvester species in Kenya.
• The ants, concealed in modified test tubes and syringes, were destined for exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia, where demand for such species is high.
• The Kenya Wildlife Service described the case as a landmark in combating biopiracy, emphasizing the illegal export of genetic resources without consent.
• Authorities noted a troubling shift in wildlife trafficking from iconic large mammals to lesser-known but ecologically significant species like ants.
• Sentencing has been adjourned to April 23, 2025, with pre-sentencing reports and expert opinions to be submitted by conservation authorities.