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One-horned Rhino killed as poaching attempts increase amid India virus lockdown

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: May 11, 2020, 08:56 AM IST
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At least a dozen rhinos have been poached in Kaziranga in the first six months of this year, more than twice the number killed in the whole of 2006. Photograph:(Getty)

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Lack of vehicles on the highway near Kaziranga Park due to lockdown has seen the animals move towards the boundaries that have made them prone to poachers. 

Poaching attempts to see an increase in India amid virus lockdown as a rare one-horned rhino was killed in Assam's Kaziranga National Park. 

Lack of vehicles on the highway near Kaziranga Park due to lockdown has seen the animals move towards the boundaries that have made them prone to poachers. 

The officials spotted animal carcass near the water body in the park and their director P. Sivakumar said: "It is suspected that the rhino was killed at least two to three days ago," adding that the animal was also missing its horn. 

These rhinos are killed for their horns that cost around $150,000 and around $60,000 per kilo in the black market. It is usually used as a foreign demand as used in traditional Chinese medicine. 

"We have also recovered eight rounds of empty cartridge of AK 47" automatic rifle, Sivakumar said. 

According to the officials, this is the first poaching incident in a year. 

But the attempts of poaching has seen a drastic increase this year. In April, more than five attempts to slaughter the rare creatures were thwarted by park rangers and a special rhino protection force set up by the state government.

Kaziranga Park has been the main habitat for these rhinos with 2,413 in number according to 2018.