Hainari, meaning beautiful in Bodo, became the 14th rhino this year to lose her life and horn to poachers, who appear to have all but taken over the wilds of Assam.

She was translocated from Kaziranga National Park last year as part of a conservation vision that envisages shifting rhinos from crowded habitats to help increase their numbers.

She is the fourth translocated rhino to die at the hand of poachers. Forest officials said the 13-year-old rhino was shot at Sidajhar under Kahitema beat office at Bansbari range of Manas National Park.

The rhino was shot with an AK-47 rifle. The horn was taken away along with nails and some flesh — as proof of the horn’s genuineness. The nearest anti-poaching camp is 1km away.

“There was an intelligence input, which was shared with the police and army and even the identity of the poacher was revealed,” a source said.

Sources said the calf would have probably been with the mother when the killing took place. Forest staff had first sighted the newborn calf on March 23.

“The calf was at the spot for some time, but fled after a big sambar (deer) approached it. Efforts are on to trace it with the help of elephants,” the source said.

Two calves were born in quick succession last month at Manas, confirming that the translocated animals were breeding successfully and had adapted well to the new environment.

In fact, the WWF had issued a statement on March 26 asking authorities to ensure the safety of these newborn calves and their mothers as well as the other rhinos in Manas so that the vision of establishing a viable rhino population is achieved over the long term.

Altogether 18 rhinos — 10 from the Pobitora wildlife sanctuary and eight from the Kaziranga National Park — have been translocated so far to Manas National Park, which had lost its population of rhinos during the Bodo agitation.

The first rhino death in Manas was reported on October 14, 2011, the second on May 23, 2012 and the third carcass was recovered on January 13 this year. Hainari is the fourth translocated rhino to die there.

Sources said not less than Rs 3 crore has already been spent by donors under the India Rhino Vision 2020. “It is very depressing news and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. I am waiting for a full report. We are taking all possible steps to rescue the calf, which will be sent to a rescue centre in Kaziranga or in Manas,” Assam chief wildlife warden Suresh Chand told The Telegraph.

In the last security arrangement meeting, which was last held at Manas on January 23 after the third rhino was killed, a senior police official of Baksa district stated there was a lack of intelligence on wildlife crimes. This apart, the official said it was becoming difficult to establish links between poachers and their real handlers.

Sources said the Bodoland Territorial Council needed to address the security issues in Manas.

BTC deputy chief Kampa Borgoyari said the rhino killing was “unfortunate”. Borgoyari, who looks after forest and tourism department, asked the department officials and staff to take all possible measures to ensure that no more killings occur.

“We cannot let it happen again,” he said, adding, that instructions had been given to take all possible measures to intensify patrolling and to be vigilant round-the-clock. All the guards, vehicles and elephants should be utilised to enhance security measures to tackle poaching, he said.

“We have a shortage of manpower and arms and ammunition are not sufficient to counter the poachers, who are armed with sophisticated weapons,” he said.

Till then, the Hainaris of Assam have little chance.