Rhino Momma Project: Teen Son’s Idea Led to 197 Rhino Births

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, October 1, 2026

Namibian farm owners, led by conservationist Jaco Muller, began dehorning white rhinos to combat a sharp increase in poaching that resulted in 14 animals being killed within six weeks in 2022. This approach, along with efforts to expand rhino populations through breeding and relocation, represents a controversial but critical strategy to protect the species amid ongoing threats and debate over legalizing horn trade.

In response to an alarming surge in rhino poaching in Namibia during 2022, local farm owners took the drastic step of removing rhino horns to deter illegal hunters targeting the animals for their valuable appendages. Within six weeks, poachers had taken 14 white rhinos (Ceratotherium simum) from private farms, prompting a shift toward dehorning. One white rhino cow had a horn measuring 34 inches before it was carefully removed—a process emotionally difficult for breeders like Jaco Muller, who acknowledged the loss but viewed it as necessary to protect the animals.

Muller's engagement with rhino conservation originated from a school project initiated by his then 15-year-old son. In 2010, the family transformed their breeding operation into what became the Rhino Momma Project, based in the Kunene region of Namibia. Their goal was to increase white rhino populations through secure breeding practices and subsequently bolster rhino numbers across Africa.

To support the project financially and enhance conservation efforts, Muller opened Kifaru Lodge in 2018. The lodge attracted tourism revenue that helped fund security measures and animal care. Additionally, Muller founded Help Our Rhinos Now (HORN), a nonprofit organization dedicated to rhino conservation and custodianship.

Muller advocated for the legalization of rhino horn trade, arguing that current prohibitions left criminal networks as the sole beneficiaries while conservationists bore the heavy costs of protecting the animals. He likened horn harvesting to shearing sheep, emphasizing that rhinos survive the process and their horns regrow. According to Muller, a regulated market could provide sustainable funding for protection efforts. He asserted that in the existing framework, “only poachers make money from horns,” an assertion met with significant debate. Critics of legal trade warn that it could facilitate the laundering of illegally obtained horns and potentially increase demand, complicating conservation efforts.

Broadening his conservation vision, Muller supported the relocation of rhino populations beyond Namibia. In 2024, 42 white rhinos from Kifaru Lodge were exported to Texas, a move inspired by the successful captive breeding and reintroduction of the Arabian oryx, which helped prevent its extinction.

Muller employed a gyrocopter to patrol the reserve, scanning vast stretches of land for signs of poaching or wildfire risks near Outjo. Tragically, on September 19, 2025, he died in a gyrocopter crash during monitoring activities. At the time of his death, the Rhino Momma Project had achieved its first calf birth in 2013 and recorded a total of 197 white rhino births since then, marking a significant contribution to the species’ preservation.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.