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Ants in the pet trade: an urgent call to CITES Parties to protect global ant diversity from emerging trade threats

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2025

Sérgio Henriques Open the ORCID record for Sérgio Henriques [Opens in a new window] ,
Rodrigo Feitosa Open the ORCID record for Rodrigo Feitosa [Opens in a new window]  and
Chris Shepherd Open the ORCID record for Chris Shepherd [Opens in a new window]
Sérgio Henriques*
Affiliation:
Centro de Ciências do Mar do Algarve (CCMAR/CIMAR LA) , Faro, Portugal IUCN Species Survival Commission Ant Specialist Group , Gland, Switzerland
Rodrigo Feitosa
Affiliation:
IUCN Species Survival Commission Ant Specialist Group , Gland, Switzerland Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
Chris Shepherd
Affiliation:
Center for Biological Diversity, Big Lake Ranch, Canada
*
(sshenriques@ualg.pt)
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Information

Type
Conservation News
Information
Oryx , First View , pp. 1
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence CC BY 4.0.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna & Flora International

The international trade in ants made headlines around the world when a gang was sentenced for smuggling 5,000 queen ants in Kenya (BBC News, 7 May 2025, bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0x07pr8dno). Long regarded as innocuous childhood pastimes, ant farms have increasingly become part of a global trade network. Recent developments, reflected in confiscation records, customs seizures, scientific literature and the widespread popularity of ant trading on online platforms, underscore the emergence of a significant and expanding international market for ants within the exotic pet industry.

Many of the ant species involved in this trade possess high invasive potential. Once introduced outside their native ranges, invasive ants can have profound negative conservation impacts, and cause ecological disruption and economic harm. In addition, international trade also poses a threat to the species being traded.

Despite growing concerns, no ant species are currently listed under CITES. This regulatory gap exposes a critical weakness in the global effort to protect invertebrate species from overexploitation and to prevent biological invasions. This is a serious oversight, as many ant species are not only ecologically sensitive but also endemic to small ranges and vulnerable to overcollection and disturbance. The clandestine nature of the trade, often facilitated through informal online channels and mislabelled shipments, hinders accurate monitoring and enforcement.

We call on CITES Parties to recognize the emergence of the international ant pet trade as a conservation and biosecurity issue of global concern. We propose the following measures: (1) Initiate a comprehensive review of the ant species currently in the international trade. (2) Prioritize the assessment of species that exhibit traits associated with invasiveness or are known to be threatened in the wild. (3) Consider listing all ant species (Formicidae) under CITES Appendix II to enable monitoring and regulation. (4) Develop identification tools and training resources for enforcement officers, to help them detect and manage ant trade cases effectively. (5) Strengthen collaboration between CITES, IUCN, invasive species experts and entomological societies.

Proactive intervention is critical to prevent irreversible ecological impacts and avoid costly eradication efforts. The window for preventative action is rapidly closing, and CITES has the mandate and the mechanisms to act.