Prime Minister Manmohan Singh might be able to sight a tiger, if he is lucky, when he visits Ranthambore Tiger Reserve on May 23 to keep his date with big cats and to review the situation in the tiger reserves of the country.

Talking to The Tribune on telephone from Ranthambore, Executive Director of the Wildlife Protection of Society Belinda Wright, who is part of the team of experts that is conducting a state-level census of tigers in Ranthambore, said the experts finished collecting data for the census today.

She, however, refused to comment on the exact number of tigers, which the 2004- census had pegged at around 40. "Sightings depend on several factors. But there are tigers in Ranthambore and if the Prime Minister is lucky, he will be able to see one. I have seen quite a few big cats during the data-collection exercise. But we would be able to comment on the exact number of tigers in the reserve only after these findings are analysed," she said.

The team used various methods, apart from the traditional pug mark method, to collect the data, including camera traps and digital software to analyse pug marks.

Sariska, which had earlier been announced as the destination for Dr Singh's visit, was dropped by the PMO due to certain administrative reasons. Moreover, Ranthambore, unlike Sariska, still has some tigers.

During his visit, the Prime Minister will hold discussions with chief wildlife wardens and field directors from different states and also talk to local villagers.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment and Forests has issued a red alert to all tiger reserves in the country in view of impending monsoons when poaching becomes rampant.

Asking the reserves to respond within a fortnight regarding the action taken, the ministry has issued directions to carry out extensive search of forest areas and wildlife premises in and around tiger reserves and protected areas for steel traps, fire arms and other contraptions used for poaching wild animals.

Project Tiger Director Rajesh Gopal said the reserves had also been told to alert field staff and conduct searches in all possible places where contrivances used for poaching were manufactured.