Kaziranga, January 15 (PTI): An adult female rhino was shot dead by poachers in Assam's Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO declared World Heritage site, a senior Forest department official said today. Forest guards at Daflang camp under Bagore range of Kaziranga National Park heard two gunshots around 9.10 yesterday night and reacted immediately by firing six rounds in defence of the animals there, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Bikash Brahma told media here. Brahma said because of the quick action of the forest guards the poachers could not take away the horn of the dead rhino. A combing operation has been launched to trace the poachers who fled away, the senior official said. The incident was the first case of rhino killing by poachers this year. Last year five rhinos were killed by poachers in Kaziranga National Park while in 2016, 18 rhinos were killed by poachers and their horns taken away.