Chinese national handed jail term for trying to smuggle 2 000 live ants out of Kenya

A Kenyan court has sentenced a Chinese national to a 12-month jail term and a fine of around R28 000 (1 ​million Kenyan shillings) for trying to smuggle live ants out of the country.

The man was caught with over 2,200 ants - the bulk of them messor cephalotes - in his luggage destined for China, at Nairobi’s main international airport.

The insects were being transported in test tubes.

 A Kenyan suspect accused of supplying the ants ⁠was also charged in the case, but is out on bail after pleading not guilty.

The insects are mostly destined for China, the US and Europe, where they become pets and can be worth about $100 each, The Guardian reports.

In China, many people have taken up the hobby of establishing ant colonies in transparent systems known as ⁠formicariums, so that they can study the species' behaviour, says Tribe Africa Advisory's Rutendo Hwindingwi.

"My question is, how are immigration and customs officials able to count this number of ants?!"

The Kenya Wildlife Service said the case highlights the growing concern over the illegal trade in invertebrates which, though often overlooked, is increasingly targeted by traffickers due to rising global demand.

These lesser-known species like ants also play a vital role in ecosystem system balance, which in the case of ants includes soil aeration, seed dispersal and nutrient cycling, it noted in a statement. 

Watch the video of the CNN report below:

Scroll up to the audio player to listen the discussion on Africa Business Focus - skip to 54:55