India: An adult male rhino was killed and its horn taken away by poachers in Kaziranga National Park in Assam, taking the number of pachyderm deaths to 16 this year, a senior Forest Department official said today. The rhino was killed near Kothalchang Forest Camp in Burapahar range of the 'World Heritage Site' around midnight, the official said.

During routine patrolling in the wee hours, the Assam Forest Security Force personnel found its carcass, he said. Stating the poachers were suspected to be from the neighbouringKarbiAnglong district hills, the official said seven empty cartridge shells of .303 rifle were found near the carcass.

Earlier, on November 22 a female rhino was killed by poachers in the national park near its Borghup Forest Camp in Burapahar range. In October, a rhino that had strayed out of the Park was killed by animal thieves in Majuli island in midst of river Brahmaputra in Jorhat district, and its horn, nails and parts of skin peeled off. (PTI)

(Source: ecoofindia)