Two teenagers found with 5,000 ants could serve 12 months in prison
Belgian nationals Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, both 19, were arrested on April 5 and charged 10 days later after Kenyan authorities discovered the ants packed in test tubes at the guest house where they were staying.
Authorities said the ants were destined for European and Asian markets in an emerging trend of trafficking lesser-known wildlife species.
Magistrate Njeri Thuku, sitting at the court in Kenya's main airport, delivered her ruling on Wednesday.
She said that despite the teenagers telling the court they were naïve and collecting the ants as a hobby, the particular species of ants they collected is valuable and they had thousands of them — not just a few.
The sentence is considered the maximum penalty for the offence.
The Kenya Wildlife Service had said the teenagers were involved in trafficking the ants to markets in Europe and Asia, and that the species included messor cephalotes, a distinctive, large and red-colored harvester ant native to East Africa.
The illegal export of the ants 'not only undermines Kenya's sovereign rights over its biodiversity but also deprives local communities and research institutions of potential ecological and economic benefits,' KWS said in a statement.
Kenya has in the past fought against the trafficking of body parts of larger species of wild animals such as elephants, rhinos and pangolins among others. But the cases against the four men represent "a shift in trafficking trends — from iconic large mammals to lesser-known yet ecologically critical species,' KWS said.
Philip Muruthi, a vice president for conservation at the Africa Wildlife Foundation in Nairobi, previously said the ants play the role of enriching soils, enabling germination and providing food for species such as birds.
'The thing is, when you see a healthy forest, like Ngong forest, you don't think about what is making it healthy. It is the relationships all the way from the bacteria to the ants to the bigger things,' he said.
Muruthi warned of the risk of trafficking species and exporting diseases to the agricultural industry of the destination countries.
'Even if there is trade, it should be regulated and nobody should be taking our resources just like that,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Hiker survives after being mauled by brown bear in Alaska
A hiker was rescued after reportedly getting attacked by a brown bear along a trail in Alaska, according to the Anchorage Fire Department. On Tuesday at approximately 3 p.m., officials responded to 911 calls from a hiker "reporting they were mauled by a bear and needed help as soon as possible," the fire department said in a statement. The attack occurred about two miles up the Dome Trail in Anchorage, the local police department confirmed to ABC News. The female hiker -- who has not been identified by officials -- reported that she "could not get out" on her own "due to injuries sustained in the mauling," the fire department said. The woman provided directions to her location on the trail and remained on the phone with officials while they scanned the area to locate her, according to police. Firefighters and paramedics responded to the scene, with drones deployed to help find the hiker, according to officials. Once she was located, she was rescued with a helicopter and transported to a local hospital with "what we believe to be non-life-threatening injuries," police said. MORE: 89-year-old man and dog killed in bear attacks in Florida: Officials Police told ABC News the hiker is in stable condition as of Wednesday and that, at this time, they "will not be sharing her name with the public." The brown bear ran off after the incident, the fire department noted in its statement. As of Tuesday night, Alaska Fish & Game was still trying to locate the bear. Officials said hikers in Anchorage are "encouraged to file trip plans with friends or family prior to trekking off into the great outdoors" and recommend people leave a copy of their trip plans underneath their vehicle's windshield. "Information regarding your planned route can be invaluable as we try to locate you in case of an emergency," the fire department said. With both black and brown bears living within the municipality of Anchorage, the local parks and recreation department provides tips to keep in mind while recreating in any park or trail in the area, including to remain in groups, make noise, carry bear spray, leash all dogs and to never run from a bear. "Stop, group up, talk to the bear and let it know you are human," Anchorage Parks and Recreation said on its website. According to the National Park Service, the majority of bear attacks occur not because the animal is hunting a human, but when it feels threatened or is protecting its young. The only exception is if the bear is "suffering from very severe starvation," the NPS said on its website.
Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Washington Post
Interpol takes U.S.-Canadian anti-whaling ‘eco-pirate' off most-wanted list
Interpol has removed an international alert for a U.S.-Canadian anti-whaling activist sought by Japan for more than a decade. In an emailed statement Wednesday, Interpol confirmed the lifting of the 'red notice' against Paul Watson, who is 74 and a former head of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Watson, who has been an active and outspoken anti-whaling activist for decades, was a founder of Greenpeace but was expelled eight years later for what it called his violent actions (Watson said he took a club from a man attacking baby seals). He went on to establish the organization that would become the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which, in the 1970s and 1980s, used tactics included sinking several ships.
News24
3 hours ago
- News24
Kunene set to step down amid probe; US Bill targets SA: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
News24 brings you the top 7 stories of the day. Graphic: Sharlene Rood/News24 News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature. Papi Morake/Gallo Images 'My life's been turned upside down': Claims of unpaid salaries, student neglect at Educor - INTEC College and Damelin, both owned by Educor, face accusations of poor service, inaccessible portals, delayed feedback, unpaid salaries, and systemic mismanagement, leaving students and staff in limbo. - The Council on Higher Education (CHE) is investigating Damelin's accredited programmes due to ongoing complaints, while INTEC College students report issues like missing assignment marks and lack of communication. - Staff members allege unpaid salaries, with one INTEC College employee of 26 years struggling to make ends meet, while Educor has not responded to media queries regarding the allegations. Two Oceans Marathon drama: Chair steps down as new board looks to steady the ship - Leadership changes, including the resignation of the chairperson, have created uncertainty for the Two Oceans Marathon. - The City of Cape Town severed ties with the event due to permit breaches regarding the number of participants in the last race. - The new board is focused on rebuilding trust with the City and the running community, and will appoint an event management company to help organise future races. Jaco Marais/Gallo Images/Die Burger Kunene will be asked to step down as MMC amid probe - PA president Gayton McKenzie - The Patriotic Alliance (PA) will investigate Kenny Kunene's presence at the home of Katiso "KT" Molefe, who is accused of orchestrating a murder. - PA president Gayton McKenzie will ask Kunene to step down as Johannesburg Transport MMC and take a one-month break from politics during the investigation. - Kunene claims he was at Molefe's home accompanying a journalist for an interview and denies any relationship with Molefe. SA 'sided with communists and terrorists', says US congressman pushing sanctions bill - US Congressman Ronny Jackson is pushing a bill to review US-South Africa ties and potentially sanction SA officials aligned with US adversaries. - The bill is motivated by South Africa's relationships with countries like China, Russia, and Iran, as well as its stance on issues like the Israel-ICJ case. - The legislation's progress is uncertain, with lawmakers currently in recess until September, and tensions between the US and South Africa remain escalated. Getty Images/Zolnierek New labour proposals: Double retrenchment pay, relaxed rules for firing - The Department of Employment and Labour has proposed over 60 amendments to labour laws, including enhanced protection for gig workers and increased retrenchment payments. - Unions have expressed concerns about some of the proposals, such as the non-recognition of bargaining agreements for new businesses and the narrow definition of unfair labour practices. - The proposed amendments are in the final drafting stage for Cabinet approval and will be subject to public comment and parliamentary approval before becoming law, with some expecting passage no earlier than 2029. Anton Geyser/Gallo Images Rassie trims Boks for Rugby Championship: No Faf, newbies make their mark - The Springboks have announced a 37-man squad for their initial 2025 Rugby Championship matches against Australia, with notable omissions like Faf de Klerk and Lukhanyo Am. - Coach Rassie Erasmus has invited three Junior Boks (Bathobele Hlekani, Cheswill Jooste, and Haashim Pead) to a two-week training camp ahead of the tournament. - The squad includes a mix of experienced players and newer faces, with Erasmus emphasising the importance of squad depth and versatility for the competition. Test track — the new 4WD Renault Duster handled this Grade 1 4x4 jeep track pretty well. Just how far off-road will the new Renault Duster 4WD take you? Far… but not all the way - The new Renault Duster 1.2T 6MT 4WD MHEV boasts a muscular design and stylish interior, offering a comfortable ride on various terrains. - The reviewer noted some drawbacks, including a notchy gearbox, jerky power delivery, and road-biased tyres, limiting its capabilities on challenging 4x4 tracks. - Despite its limitations, the Duster is considered a well-priced and fuel-efficient option in the medium-sized SUV segment, suitable for most adventures.
