NAIROBI, Kenya – Two Belgian teenagers have been charged with wildlife piracy after Kenyan authorities uncovered 5,000 live ants being illegally stored at their guest house.
Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, both 19, were arrested on April 5 in Nakuru County after officers found thousands of ants packed inside 2,244 cotton-lined test tubes—designed to keep the insects alive for months. The species involved included Messor cephalotes, a large, red harvester ant native to East Africa.
Appearing visibly distraught in a Nairobi courtroom, the teens told the magistrate they were collecting ants “for fun” and were unaware it was illegal. They were comforted by relatives as charges were read.
Kenyan authorities say this case reflects a disturbing shift in wildlife crime—away from iconic species like elephants and rhinos toward smaller, ecologically vital creatures. In a separate case heard the same day, Kenyan Dennis Ng’ang’a and Vietnamese national Duh Hung Nguyen were also charged with illegally trafficking 400 ants found in their Nairobi apartments.
According to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), these cases illustrate a growing trend in the global illegal pet and collector markets, particularly in Europe and Asia. Authorities estimate the total value of the seized ants to be 1 million Kenyan shillings (approximately $7,700), though prices vary significantly by species.
KWS warned that the unsanctioned export of native ants not only violates Kenya’s biodiversity sovereignty but also threatens research, conservation, and community benefits. “It deprives local communities and institutions of potential ecological and economic gains,” a KWS statement said.
Conservation experts stress the crucial role ants play in ecosystems. “When you see a healthy forest, you don’t think about what’s making it healthy,” said Philip Muruthi of the African Wildlife Foundation. “It’s the organisms—from bacteria to ants—that keep it thriving.”
Muruthi also cautioned that moving insect species across borders without proper checks could introduce foreign pathogens, putting agriculture in destination countries at risk. He emphasized the need for regulation: “Even if there is trade, it should be monitored. No one should be taking our resources just like that.”
The case is ongoing as the Kenyan legal system continues its efforts to crack down on emerging forms of wildlife crime.
