Why are smugglers swarming East Africa for ants to send to China and Europe?

A lucrative and environmentally damaging black market for harvester ants has emerged in Kenya, fueled by international demand. The trade centers on the Messor cephalotes species, the world's largest harvester ant, which can grow up to 25mm (1 inch) long. In early March, the scale of the problem was highlighted when Chinese national Zhang Kequn was detained at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi with more than 2,200 live queen ants packed in his luggage. Around the same time, Thai authorities intercepted another shipment from the Kenyan port of Mombasa.

Demand is driven by two key markets. First, exotic pet collectors in Asia and Europe prize the ants for their ability to build complex, fascinating colonies. Second, researchers and practitioners of traditional medicine are interested in the ants for their purported use as a cure for rheumatism and the 'unique microorganisms' they host, which may have medical applications. This dual demand is creating significant pressure on local populations, with experts like Kavaka Mukonyi of Kenya’s Wildlife Research and Training Institute warning of the threat to biodiversity and ecosystem health.