Rhino Momma Project's 197 births mark critical conservation milestone

Jaco Muller's Namibian rhino breeding project achieved 197 recorded white rhino births since 2013, directly countering poaching threats.

Jaco Muller's Rhino Momma Project in Namibia's Kunene region recorded 197 white rhino births between 2013 and 2025, becoming one of the country's largest privately run rhino-breeding operations by that year. The project began in 2010, implemented dehorning to reduce poaching risk, and exported 42 rhinos to Texas in 2024. Muller died in September 2026 at age 53. This scale of births directly counters poaching-driven extinction threats, as evidenced by 14 rhinos removed from private farms in Namibia during a six-week poaching spike in 2022.

The project's mechanism combines long-term breeding with active poaching mitigation. By recording births since its first calf in 2013, the project maintains a viable population in threatened regions—critical for rhino conservation where poaching has historically driven rapid declines. This approach directly strengthens security through population resilience.

This achievement moves abundance for rhino security and sustenance by expanding viable populations in regions where poaching risks are highest. It demonstrates how targeted, private-scale conservation can counter extinction threats without relying on state resources alone.

Key watchpoints include the controversial proposal to legalize rhino horn trade—opposed due to risks of laundering poached horns and increased demand. The project's 197 births represent a significant conservation milestone, but opponents question whether trade legalization would undermine the very security the project aims to protect. The source notes Muller's argument is 'controversial' and 'opponents question' its impact.

Source: Mongabay