NAIROBI, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS) said Saturday it has launched a major operation to nab a suspected poacher who escaped from gunfire exchange in which his accomplice was killed.

The KWS said that a team comprising three rangers from the Tsavo West National Park encountered the two armed suspected poachers on Friday when they were on routine patrol in the park near the Mang'elete area's boundary.

"The suspects immediately shot at the rangers and a shootout ensued. During the shootout, one suspect was killed while his colleague who was believed to have sustained injuries managed to escape," the KWS said in a statement.

The wildlife agency said that the police recovered one heavy caliber rifle, one heavy caliber rifle cartridge, three automatic rifle cartridges and one telephone during the incident.

"KWS wishes to appeal to the public to report any information about the incident to the nearest police station or KWS offices," it added.

Kenya remains a poaching hotspot in Africa despite widespread campaign by conservationists to condemn the menace that is to blame for loss of millions of dollars and ecosystems disruption.

The poaching menace has brought renewed attention to a crisis that has persisted for decades -- the steady decline of Africa's wildlife due to growing human population and poverty that have put agricultural communities at odds with wildlife for resources.