Rhino Poached in Kaziranga Within 12-Hours of Will-Kat’s Visit

Prince William and Kate Middleton had visited Kaziranga National Park to raise awareness against poaching of rhinos.

Britain’s Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, feeds a baby rhino at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), at Panbari reserve forest in Kaziranga. (Photo: AP)

A one-horned Rhino was killed in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park by poachers less than 12-hours after the Duke of Cambridge Prince William and his wife Duchess Kate Middleton visited the wildlife reserve to raise awareness for protecting rhinos.

Britain’s Prince William touches a baby rhino as his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge watches at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), at Panbari reserve forest in Kaziranga. (Photo: AP)

By the time we reached, a lot of rounds were fired. There were 103 empty rounds and two live bullets. It is a male rhino and his horn is missing. 

Vinod Chandra, Forest Guard

An empty cartridge of an AK-47 assault rifle used to kill the rhino was found at the spot.

Rhino was found killed by poachers in Kaziranga National Park within 12 hours of ‘Will-Kat’ visited the wildlife reserve. (Photo Courtesy: ANI)

When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at the world’s largest one-horn rhino park in remote northeastern India on Tuesday, conservationists hoped the British royals could help raising a global awareness about how black-market demand for rhino horns and other animal parts is fuelling illegal poaching and pushing the species towards extinction.

Another rhino was poached two days prior to the visit of British Royal couple. The poachers shot the rhino and then sawed off its horn while he was still alive. On finding the wounded animal, park officials rushed to help but were unsuccessful.

(With AP inputs, more details awaited)