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Secrets of the ant trade

The global, multi-million-dollar ant trade and the enthusiasts and law enforcement trying to stamp out illegal ant smuggling.

Once a quiet hobby for enthusiasts, ant-keeping has exploded into a global, multi-million-dollar business driven by social media and a rising wave of "ant-influencers."

Demand for exotic species is fuelling a boom in online trading forums, and a new front in wildlife trafficking.

We go to Kenya, where law enforcement has made global headlines arresting gangs as they try to smuggle thousands of prized mated queens out of the country.

(Photo: A close up view of a harvester queen ant perched on top of entomologist Dr Dino Martins' (not seen) fingernails, in Silole sanctuary, Kajiado, Kenya, 13 May, 2026. The ant has a large red head, with tiny black eyes on the side and a fat black body)

Producer: Pearse Lynch

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27 minutes

Last on

Sunday 22:32GMT
BBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only

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