While most teenagers are either cramming for exams or doom scrolling TikTok, two Belgian guys — Lorno David and Seppe Lodewijckx — decided to go on an exotic safari with an unexpected souvenir. No elephants. No giraffes. Not even a fridge magnet. Instead, they tried to bring home 5,000 live ants from Kenya.
Yes, you read that right — five thousand tiny, six-legged creatures, carefully packed, tagged, and maybe even named (“Hi, I’m Kevin. I bite.”).
What the hell happened?
According to the teens, they weren’t planning to sell ants on the black market or build a tiny army to run errands. Nope. They just had a thing for… ant collecting. Apparently it’s a hobby now. Some people collect stamps. Others collect Funko Pops. These two? They collect hyperactive African insects.
Oh, and the ants? Valued at more than €8,000. So we’re not talking sidewalk ants. These were premium, probably had their own passports.
Why Kenya said “Nah, bro”
Kenyan authorities, surprisingly enough, weren’t amused. Turns out, exporting wildlife without permission is a crime. So, the boys were arrested at Nairobi airport and are now waiting for a verdict.
The trial is set for May 7, and it might be the first time a courtroom hears the phrase: “Release the ants. Feed them twice daily. Keep away from sugar bowls.”
What’s next for them?
The court will consider their age, their very specific and weird hobby, and the fact that the ants are all alive and, probably, planning an uprising. Best-case scenario: fine and deportation. Worst-case: suspended sentence and banned from ever stepping into an anthill again.
The moral of the story?
Not everything small, fast, and crawling in the dirt is meant to go in your suitcase. Especially if it has a price tag of €1.60 per bug and enough legs to walk out on its own.
Travel smart. Collect memories, not thousands of ants plotting revenge in your backpack.
