Forest personnel guarding Kaziranga National Park in Assam gunned down two poachers in an encounter that took place in Bagori Range of the National Park.
Park Director N K Vasu informed that a group of poachers were confronted by the forest personnel near Maloni Forest camp in Bagori Range of the Park and in the ensuing encounter two poachers were killed while at least three others managed to flee.
The identity of the slain poachers is yet to be ascertained. Forest personnel recovered one .303 rifle from the poachers.
Two rhinos were killed by the poachers in the area recently. The park director informed that 16 rhinos were killed this year, while 40 rhinos have died a natural death during the same period.
As per the rhino census carried out in Kaziranga National Park in March, it was found that the number of one-horned rhinos in the park increased to 2,329 compared to the figure of 2,290 as per the last year’s census. Besides KazirangaPark, the rhino is also found in several other wildlife protection areas in Assam.
According to official figures, the total rhino population in Assam stands at 2,544.
