Kenya is facing a new poaching crisis involving the international smuggling of Giant African Harvester Ants, a species famed for its longevity and industriousness.

• Thousands of queen ants are being trafficked, fetching hundreds of dollars each, with prices around 200 euros ($230) on European websites.
• Kenyan ant expert Dino Martins expressed shock at the trade, which involves harvesting queens that can be 50 to 60 years old from nests.
• Authorities are cracking down, with recent penalties including a fine of around $8,000 for Belgian teenagers and a one-year prison sentence for a Chinese national found trafficking 2,000 ants.