Guwahati:
A rhino carcass with its horn removed was found at Kaziranga National Park on Wednesday, wildlife officials said.
The carcass of the male rhino was found near Mandi Chapori in Agratoli range of the Park and officials suspect that the animal was killed and its horn removed last night by poachers.
A search operation has been launched in the area to nab the poachers, the officials said.
Rhinoceros horns fetch a huge price in the world of traditional medicines especially in China and are believed to have aphrodisiac properties.
This is the first rhino death in Kaziranga National Park this year and third in the state with two of the pachyderms killed in Orange National Park during this month.
More than 40 rhinos were killed in different national parks of Assam by poachers last year.
There are more than two thousand rhinos in Kaziranga National Park alone.