The Documentary Podcast
The Documentary Podcast
BBC World Service
Secrets of the ant trade
26 minutes Posted Jul 9, 2026 at 7:30 am.
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26:28
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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.