Assam: Poachers kill rhino, calf in Kaziranga National Park

According to a forest department official in Assam, a female rhino and her calf were shot dead and their horns removed by poachers at Kaziranga National Park (KNP) on Saturday night.

Speaking on the matter, KNP Divisional Forest Officer Ruhini Ballab Saikia told PTI that the rhino and her calf were gunned down near Tunekati Forest Camp under Burapahar Range of the Park on Saturday.

The security personnel had heard gunshots around 11.30 pm and launched a search operation only to find the bullet-riddled carcasses of the rhinos lying near each other this morning, Saikia said.

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Several empty cartridges of AK-47 assault rifle were recovered from the spot, he added.

With this death, the toll of rhinos killed in 2017 in the Kaziranga National Park rose to five.

Earlier this year, poachers had slaughtered two rhinos in separate incidents in February and April, the official said.

Talking about 2016, poachers had killed 18 rhinos at the national park.

(With PTI inputs)

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