Guwahati, May 13 (IANS): Forest guards at Assam's Kaziranga National Park on Wednesday foiled an attempt by poachers to kill a rhino, and gunned down one of the criminals, officials said.

Park officials said three poachers had entered the park on Tuesday night.

"We got information from our sources and launched an operation immediately. Our guards came face to face with the poachers around 3 a.m. on Wednesday and killed one of them during the shootout that ensued," an official said.

The gun battle took place at the Burapahar forest range of the park.

A .303 rifle was recovered from the slain poacher, whose identity was yet to be ascertained.

The other poachers, however, escaped.

"We are happy that we foiled a rhino poaching attempt," Kaziranga divisional officer S.K. Seal Sarma said.

Forest guards had last month killed two poachers in Burapahar.

The park, a Unesco world heritage site, has an estimated 2,401 rhinos as per the latest census.

The park has been facing severe challenges in the last few years as far as conservation of one-horned rhinos was concerned due to a spate in poaching.

Officials said that after the anti-poaching drive was intensified, 13 poachers have been gunned down so far this year.