An adult male rhino was killed and its horn cut off by poachers in the Kaziranga National Park of Assam, a senior Forest department official said on Monday.
The carcass of the rhino was found at Karati village outside the sixth addition of the Park in Biswanath Chariali district, Divisional Forest Officer Subhashish Das said.
With this, the number of rhinos killed by poachers this year has gone up to seven. Another 16 were shot dead last year, forest department officials said. Rhino horns fetch huge prices in the international market.
Meanwhile, three Forest department staff were arrested on Monday at Jakhalabandha, under Nagaon district, on the charge of hiding the carcass of a rhino killed in October, last year, the DFO said.
Poachers had earlier on April 11 killed an adult female rhino in KNP’s reserve in Biswanath district,officials said.