Poachers are making as much as Ksh176,148 (€1,200) for a queen ant sold in Europe, making the animals one of the new popular game for poachers.
According to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), poachers are turning away from the traditional endangered animals to microbes, insects, reptiles, and rare plants. This has forced the agency to contend with new, cheeky tactics poachers have developed to get an edge over authorities.
Over the years, wildlife traffickers have targeted iconic animals, including elephants, rhinos, and big cats, for their ivory, horns, and skins. While strides have been made to curb this crime, the poachers have evolved to target smaller, more unique yet equally precious animals.
This reality was brought to light after the fining of two Belgian nationals, a Vietnamese citizen, and a Kenyan accomplice, who were busted trafficking 5,000 live garden ants.
As it turns out, garden ants are extremely valuable on the black market, with the five suspects getting caught with ants worth Ksh1.2 million. In markets like Europe and Asia, rare ant colonies fetch prices as high as Ksh176,148 (€1,200) each in the exotic pet trade.
With this in mind, it is no wonder that poachers are shifting from the riskier animals like elephants and rhinos and instead focusing on species which are less likely to make international headlines. This can include microbes, insects, reptiles, and rare plants.
In a report obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, KWS revealed that over the past five years (2020-2025), an alarming variety of unlawful wildlife were intercepted. This includes 5,140 queen ants, 73,925 kilograms of aloe gum, 25,331 kilograms of sandalwood, 22 live tortoises, five snakes, a praying mantis, and a swarm of bees.
Some of the intercepted items appear insignificant on paper, but poachers have certainly done their homework to determine that they are incredibly valuable on the black market, particularly in Europe.
Aloe gum, also known as aloe latex or bitter aloe, is in extremely high demand in the informal market and can be used in different ways, including for Cosmetic and skincare products and industrial and pharmaceutical use.
Aloe bitter gum, which is typically sold to large-scale dealers at approximately Ksh200 per kilogram, has been outlawed in the country, but this has not stopped unscrupulous dealers from taking their chances in the trade.
As recently as 2025, authorities intercepted a consignment of 15 tonnes of illegally trafficked aloe gum in Samburu County, which was valued at Ksh15 million (about $116,000). These figures are a reminder of just how valuable some of these exotic plants and animals are, bringing forth the need for tougher regulations.
Amid the rising illegal trade in these small but rare wildlife, KWS now warns that Kenya's ecosystems will be affected in the long run. Active hunting of ants and other exotic insects, for example, will almost certainly disrupt key ecological processes like soil aeration, pollination, pest control, and forest regeneration.
As a way to keep up with the changing times in terms of unlawful wildlife hunting, KWS announced plans to integrate advanced technologies and strengthen global partnerships.
While welcoming the recent sanctions imposed on the ant smugglers, Director General of Kenya Wildlife Service Erustus Kanga said, “Today’s ruling sends an unequivocal message: Kenya will not tolerate the plunder of its biodiversity. Whether it’s an ant or an elephant, we will pursue traffickers relentlessly."
