A Kenyan court has ordered a Chinese man, Zhang Kequn, to pay a fine of 1 million shillings ($7,746) and serve a 12-month jail sentence for attempting to smuggle more than 2,200 live garden ants out of the country. Zhang was apprehended last month at Nairobi’s main international airport after the insects were discovered in his luggage.
While he initially pleaded not guilty to charges of dealing in live wildlife species, he later changed his plea to guilty, though his lawyer has indicated plans to appeal the sentence.
Magistrate Irene Gichobi emphasized that a stiff penalty was necessary to act as a deterrent against the growing trend of ant-trafficking in Kenya.
These insects are frequently destined for international markets, including China, where enthusiasts pay significant sums to maintain colonies in transparent vessels known as formicariums for behavioral study. The court highlighted the negative ecological consequences of massive harvesting, noting that such biopiracy reflects a shift in illegal wildlife trade from high-profile trophies like ivory to lesser-known species.
The case also involves a Kenyan national, Charles Mwangi, who is accused of supplying the ants to Zhang. Mwangi has pleaded not guilty and remains out on bail, with his proceedings set to continue separately.
This ruling follows a similar case from last year where four men were fined for trafficking thousands of ants, signaling an increased effort by Kenyan authorities to protect the nation’s biodiversity from illegal exploitation.