Jorhat, Feb. 16 (PTI): The carcass of the first rhino killed this year by poachers was recovered Saturday at Kaziranga National Park, officials said.
The carcass, with its horn missing, was recovered in Bokakhat subdivision, said Kaziranga National Park (KNP) Divisional Forest Officer Ruhini Ballav Saikia.
The body of the male adult rhino with bullet injuries was recovered from Hukani forest camp under Agoratoli Range of the World Heritage Site, Saikia said.
Bullets of a .303 bore rifle were fired into the rhino and its horn was chopped off by poachers, Saikia said.
Two used cartridges, a pair of shoes and clothing items were found at the site, he added.
Gunshots were heard by KNP officials and security personnel at around 7.30 pm on Friday night from North West end side of Agoratoli Range, the DFO said.
A team of forest guards and police personnel tried to move into the Range but could not make headway due to darkness, he added.
"This morning, a forest department team led by KNP Director Akashdeep Baruah, Golaghat district Superintendent of Police M Singh, additional SP R Neog Dhurbajyoti Borah along with sniffer dogs launched a search operation and located the hornless carcass of the Pride of Assam," the DFO said.
A massive search operation along the NH-37 and 39 has been launched even as river patrolling has been pressed into service, said KNP sources.
