Both reserves were gazetted in 1976 and belong to Lamu District, in the Coast Province. Dodori covers an area of 877 km², whereas Boni comprises 1,339 km². Boni lies right next to the Somali border, in the traditional dwelling region of the Boni hunter tribe, today reduced to a few hundreds of people. Dodori reserve is named after the river ending in the Indian Ocean at Dodori Creek, a breeding place for dugongs.