The State Government has recently approved the de-notification of the area of the reserve from 795.52 sq km to 636.495 sq km. Experts predicted that the proposal, if finally approved, will considerably reduce the space for tiger and other wildlife which simultaneously will have adverse impact on the future prospects of tiger in the State as a whole.” Satkosia-Baisipalli forests are part of the bigger tiger landscape covering about 13,459 sq km covering parts of Phulbani, Ganjam and Kalahandi along with several other pockets reporting tiger presence,” they said

Further, if a large part of the buffer zone of Satkosia is de-notified, the integrity of the reserve will be affected and tigers will be pushed into a much smaller space. The biotic pressure on the tiger reserve will also increase from outside damaging the ecosystem. The problems of poaching, timber smuggling, tree felling and encroachment will increase which will be detrimental to the tiger landscape, said Wildlife activist, Bhanumitra Acharya, working on wildlife in the state..

To add to the above, it will also result in loss of forest connectivity, which is essential for migration of the big cats cats. In this situation, there will also be a rise in man-animal conflicts, in the region. The experts have demanded roll-back of the State decision, on priority basis. They have also called for the voluntary relocation of the five villages located within the core of the reserve.

Satkosia had raked up controversy when a male tiger from there had strayed into Nandan Kanan Zoo, scaling the high walls of the enclosure. The fate of the tiger continues to hang in balance. Earlier, the field director of Satkosia had expressed unwillingness to take back the tiger in the forest, citing absence of tigress in the reserve and lack of manpower.