Shocking footage of a rhino stumbling through a national park in South Africa with its horn cut off has emerged online.

Tourists filmed the disturbing footage in South Africa's Kruger park on 28 February. It shows the rhino appearing very disorientated in the middle of the road, with a gaping wound where his horn would have been hacked off.

One of the rhino's eyes also appears to be damaged.

The animal can then be seen cautiously walking into the long grass at the park. The rhino was found by rangers six days after the footage was taken, and put down.

"An assessment was conducted to determine the extent of the injuries and suffering. It was discovered that a bullet had lodged in the rhino's brain and therefore any chance of survival was slim," SANParks spokesperson Reynold Thakhuli told News24.

The horn was most likely removed by poachers in order to sell the ivory to countries such as China. Rangers said the horn could have been removed days earlier, before it was filmed.

South Africa is home to about 80% of Africa's rhino population and about 70% of the total worldwide population. In 2013 a record 1,004 rhinos were killed by poachers, compared to just 22 in 2003.

rhino horn cut off
The rhino was put down six days after this footage was shot
South Africa