Belgian teenagers face sentencing in Kenya over ant smuggling scandal
The case highlights the growing, potentially dangerous, global trade in insects.
“We did not come here to break any laws. By accident and stupidity we did.” So said Lornoy David, one of two 19-year-olds from Belgium who will be sentenced in Kenya tomorrow for wildlife crimes.
David, and his compatriot Seppe Lodewijckx, both pleaded guilty to wildlife piracy last month after being caught in Kenya with hundreds of test tubes containing approximately 5,000 ants. A Kenyan man and a Vietnamese national were also charged alongside them in a separate, unrelated case.
According to a report in the Guardian, some of the ants found in the teenagers’ possession could be sold in the US or Europe for up to £170. The buyers? A growing community of ant collectors eager to acquire rare African species for their private colonies.
The Belgians’ haul was reportedly bound for exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia, where it could have netted them a small fortune. Prosecutors in Kenya valued the animals at just shy of $10,000. However, Reuters analysis suggested that once smuggled into Europe, their rarity could push the value up to $1 million.
The trade in ants has boomed in recent years, scientists have reported, according to scientists, who warn that if left unregulated, it could have serious consequences for biodiversity, not just in Africa, but globally. A 2023 study in China tracked online sales of ants across the country for six months. It found nearly 60,000 sales of colonies during that period involving more than 200 different sellers.
Ant colonies need queens, the only type able to lay eggs, and so trafficking of these queens can jeopardise the future of ant populations in places like Kenya. Dino Martins, a leading insect expert in Kenya, told Reuters: "If we were to lose all the elephants in Africa, we would be devastated, but the grassland would continue. If we were to lose all the harvester ants and termites, the savannah would collapse."
There are risks to destination ecosystems as well. If pet ants escape or are released, they can disrupt local environments and agriculture. The Chinese researchers found that around 25 per cent of species being sold had the potential to become invasive. It concluded: “If released, pet ants could interfere with urban ecosystems, rural agriculture, and spill over to threaten back-country habitats with high biodiversity.” According to the Invasive Species Council, a study of ant sellers found they were selling 13 of the 19 most invasive species of ant, raising clear alarm bells.
The Belgian teenagers say they were unaware that their actions were illegal and claim they acted out of naivety rather than calculation. Experts, however, suggest that the case may reflect a broader trend: a shift in wildlife trafficking from large mammals to smaller, high-value insects. Erustus Kanga, director general of the Kenya Wildlife Service, said: "We're seeing organised crime syndicates diversify from traditional ivory poaching to target our entire biodiversity – from medicinal plants, insects to micro-organisms.”
A common problem cited by those working to combat the illegal trade in wild animals is that the punishments are not heavy enough. For criminal enterprises, wildlife trafficking offers high rewards with relatively low risks. Highly lucrative, but often matched with relatively minor punishments if it all goes wrong. There is no suggestion that the Belgians are part of a wider network. Every indication is that they naively committed this crime. They will find out tomorrow what the cost of that “mistake” will be.