With this, the total number of rhino deaths in poachers' attacks inside Kaziranga has mounted to 10 so far this year. It has become a serious cause of concern for the World Heritage Site.

The incident took place in the park's Burapahar forest range at 1.45 am when a group of four poachers killed an adult male rhino near the Sorali anti-poaching camp and cut off its horn. Forest staff heard sounds of gunshots and tried to chase the poachers, but in vain. Poachers had killed the rhino and chopped off its horn before forest guards arrived there.

"Our staff launched an operation after hearing sounds of gunshots. But poachers fled before our staff arrived at the spot. Our staff found a carcass of an adult male rhino near the forest camp after an hour. The horn of the rhino was also found missing. But our guards found four blank cartiges of AK 47 and .303 rifle, an axe and a dao from the spot,"' said divisional forest officer (Kaziranga) Shil Sharma.

He said preliminary investigation suggests that four persons were involved in the attack and all of them managed to flee. Although forest staff opened fire, it was too late as they were already out of range. "We have sounded a high alert in all parts of the national park subsequent to the incident. All forest camps have been put on alert. We expect to nab the poachers soon," he said.

Earlier on March 1, another adult male rhino was found dead by forest guards near the Arikati anti-poaching camp when they were patrolling the area.