Chinese Man Jailed in Kenya for Smuggling 2,200 Live Ants
A Kenyan court has sentenced Chinese national Zhang Kequn to a 12-month jail term and imposed a fine of 1 million shillings ($7,746) for attempting to smuggle over 2,200 live garden ants out of the country. Zhang was arrested last month at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with the insects concealed in his luggage. Although he initially pleaded not guilty to charges of dealing in live wildlife species, he later changed his plea to guilty. Magistrate Irene Gichobi emphasized that the stiff sentence serves as a necessary deterrent against the rising trend of ant trafficking, which poses significant ecological risks due to massive harvesting. The illicit trade is driven by demand in markets like China, where enthusiasts pay high prices for ant colonies to study their social behaviors in formicariums. Another individual, Charles Mwangi, who is accused of supplying the ants, has pleaded not guilty and remains out on bail. This case highlights a shifting pattern in biopiracy, moving from traditional trophies like ivory to lesser-known species, following similar convictions of four men last year for comparable offenses.
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Chinese Man Jailed in Kenya for Smuggling 2,200 Live Ants
A Kenyan court has sentenced Chinese national Zhang Kequn to a 12-month jail term and imposed a fine of 1 million shillings ($7,746) for attempting to smuggle over 2,200 live garden ants out of the country. Zhang was arrested last month at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with the insects concealed in his luggage. Although he initially pleaded not guilty to charges of dealing in live wildlife species, he later changed his plea to guilty. Magistrate Irene Gichobi emphasized that the stiff sentence serves as a necessary deterrent against the rising trend of ant trafficking, which poses significant ecological risks due to massive harvesting. The illicit trade is driven by demand in markets like China, where enthusiasts pay high prices for ant colonies to study their social behaviors in formicariums. Another individual, Charles Mwangi, who is accused of supplying the ants, has pleaded not guilty and remains out on bail. This case highlights a shifting pattern in biopiracy, moving from traditional trophies like ivory to lesser-known species, following similar convictions of four men last year for comparable offenses.
cnn