Kenya Battles €1 Million Ant Trafficking Ring to Protect Biodiversity

[{"selector":"#anim-7c7b79ef-68b8-4cb4-8c67-04a2ea137528","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b01a52be-4def-41f9-85c9-c6a888d3deed","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9b0f0c66-5a48-4b08-a3c2-7ce8ab0ed868","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c1b8cb7-f32f-463a-9eea-24c23414f823","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Kenya Battles €1 Million Ant Trafficking Ring to Protect Biodiversity Govind Tekale

Four smugglers caught with thousands of tiny insects at Kenya's main airport. Their fine? A whopping $7,700 each. What were they trafficking that's worth so much?

[{"selector":"#anim-f3f5f4fb-7617-42e9-9c86-e0cc85c4f094","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7d60ee56-303d-455a-ac82-5653990319fd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-28176fd4-3f53-4c8b-b096-3a2f213875f0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9090f584-c9ac-442e-a7b3-58a1b8045035","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5fd21079-1f99-430a-a4af-27566ea5e8d5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Bartolucci (CC BY 3.0)

5,440 queen harvester ants seized by Kenyan authorities. These insects might look ordinary, but their potential market value reaches an astonishing €1 million in exotic pet markets.

[{"selector":"#anim-c3ea989a-be61-4ac9-92f2-5567b417a5b9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ecc8b9f1-bc87-4494-af28-06f87341fd79","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 140.12348%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8f41011f-2e1c-421b-b19f-f76eed97f638","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63339fa9-e6d8-4f3d-a29e-b451d5b840ac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-782bde6d-34e7-4282-a441-c7b3f746b358","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Robin Hutton (CC BY 2.0)

The smugglers concealed their living cargo in test tubes and syringes, designed to keep the ants alive for up to two months during transport to Europe and Asia.

[{"selector":"#anim-47a16cd7-8638-478e-90bb-8cb87277331a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-366eaf07-05ca-40b3-b06e-83642855537e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-656f05c3-3340-44cd-bcae-07c979b90ab3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1035cc91-39fd-41d1-9d30-c4062b67f7e8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-baf3fbf1-1c99-4d24-b3f9-b3a9ba0196cb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Christophe (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Whether it is an ant or an elephant, we will pursue traffickers relentlessly," stated Kenya Wildlife Service Director-General after the May 7 ruling.

[{"selector":"#anim-7bcd41b3-0b3f-4eee-a9af-33a91f977f41","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5f32edc4-597e-4799-abbd-87512d03fd8c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.7807%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-874862bf-01ec-4b0a-8e96-76d57d3862ea","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0206029b-67e8-436e-a375-d0af225284e5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fa106078-4519-4dc7-a3b1-4ebb73eb79f4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: JMK (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Each Messor cephalotes queen commands prices from $132 to €1,200 in specialty markets. Individual collectors pay premium prices for these red East African insects.

[{"selector":"#anim-960f386b-128d-4e7c-9370-35492604379e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0adcfb0-67d6-4610-bca8-6c7667c04c4b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eeff4a14-199a-4e65-a8e0-e8c489c993f3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7edbe1c4-25a7-4d5c-886d-6f218260e5ce","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-637bdb0a-3798-4f49-b6db-6c9a120d65de","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Vince Smith (CC BY 2.0)

Why care about ants? These tiny creatures aerate soil, enhance fertility, and disperse seeds across savannahs—vital services now threatened by trafficking.

[{"selector":"#anim-4332051f-fef1-4ebe-9ed6-6d9d0b0f5447","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ca6d1983-d9b2-4045-aac1-75a696c5776c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.7807%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a853b3ca-c4b5-4586-a9d9-16c22cab9355","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a5c45a25-8b6c-4d5f-836e-8e48928f5d3d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b5215a51-36bf-4fb6-8f43-7977140c7ade","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Curtis Clark (CC BY-SA 2.5)

Wildlife crime evolves: traffickers shift from elephants and rhinos to less-monitored species like insects, challenging conservation efforts in new ways.

[{"selector":"#anim-70842025-369c-45b9-8c82-e5d7ea54116a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ee3a874-1eef-4c9c-87c7-478fc3222aeb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-06178d8b-1787-4a56-b100-4e2fac038e87","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-65da7fc2-411f-489a-964c-e5c187abfdcc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bc3c985b-8a12-4654-9537-a6b976f067bf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Egor Kamelev (Pexels)

A queen ant serves as the sole egg-layer for colonies of thousands. Remove her, and the entire colony faces collapse—multiplying the ecological damage.

[{"selector":"#anim-90c6b41f-5d38-48f1-b9b5-8363cc975f4c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e2d80b13-9be1-4aae-96f1-27ef4486c70f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 164.43004%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-59985558-8810-4a66-b2be-2ea633542cf3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2335c098-b830-4917-8215-7577e6d46829","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0d932f4d-0df8-4ce0-afb8-6ea7dd0de32c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Curtis Clark (CC BY-SA 2.5)

Kenya's 2023 seizure of 2,500 queen ants prompted tighter airport screening. Now authorities work to close loopholes in permits and export regulations.

[{"selector":"#anim-ce8e6733-45a5-4da7-81a5-0cb1c5f66229","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-076d3e71-0a8d-4056-9992-d57f06cd6750","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5033912c-de91-4c1a-ba59-db4b714ca0fb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c1c460e-0b33-4464-a1a2-216d23ea20c1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6a598676-beb4-41fc-87f4-b00719489798","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Egor Kamelev (Pexels)

Beyond immediate environmental damage, experts warn that 25% of traded ant species could become invasive if released in non-native environments, creating secondary threats.

[{"selector":"#anim-4af94d23-612e-46d7-87a7-457d01edeb62","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2b6e24e2-943b-42a3-8e2d-2d409e7f6dee","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 140.67903%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79ec6bbd-a387-4e56-867f-d362db3da46b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba22e105-cc7a-451f-ae97-a802fb023509","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a153eae-7812-405c-a4c3-5a2c0cab40d7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Poranimm Athithawatthee (Pexels)

[{"selector":"#anim-46423635-25ce-428b-bcf9-d358046ae5cb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c90d1a8-1923-47f1-9b68-c5af3d7c871e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d063ca2c-0a50-4fe4-9af0-4f830ce5e905","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b4d0e1b0-ee6d-4b3b-b070-e66302785aed","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-de7cf920-4769-4cad-9a3d-af32ceb6b2dc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 113-Million-Year-Old Hell Ant Discovered Learn more