In an unusual wildlife trafficking case, a Chinese citizen has been sentenced in Kenya for the illegal possession of hundreds of ants. The court ruling highlights ongoing efforts to combat the trade of lesser-known species.
On Wednesday, the Kenyan judiciary imposed a one-year jail term on Zhang Kequn, a Chinese national, after he admitted to being in illegal possession of wildlife, specifically hundreds of live ants stored within specialized tubes. Zhang was also ordered to pay a fine amounting to 1 million Kenyan shillings ($7,700) for the offense of wildlife possession without the necessary license. For more details, visit the original report.
The case brings to light similar incidents in Kenya, where Belgian teenagers had previously faced fines for possessing queen ants, which are often consumed as delicacies or kept as pets in parts of Europe and Asia.
The prosecution revealed that Zhang was working alongside a Kenyan, Charles Mwangi, who denied any wrongdoing and was subsequently released on cash bail. It is alleged that Zhang acquired ants from Mwangi, paying amounts of 60,000 Kenyan shillings ($463) and 70,000 shillings ($540) for batches of 600 and 700 ants, respectively.
The arrests occurred on March 10, following the discovery of 1,948 garden ants housed in specialized tubes, as well as an additional 300 ants concealed in tissue rolls. Authorities noted that the suspects lacked the permits required under Kenya’s wildlife conservation regulations for handling or trading such species.
This case is reminiscent of an incident last year involving two Belgian teenagers charged with wildlife piracy. They were found in possession of 5,000 ants in test tubes, with Kenyan officials asserting that these ants were intended for European and Asian markets. The ants were valued at 1 million shillings ($7,700) by Kenyan authorities.
