The Integral Nature Reserve (RNI) or Hippopotamus Sanctuary (SH) was created by decree No. 2017-630/PRN/ME/DD of July 20, 2017 classifying the Integral Reserve known as the “Hippopotamus Sanctuary”.

The Integral Nature Reserve is included by the Kandadji National Nature Reserve (RNNK). It is a polygon covering an area of ten square kilometers (10 km²) or ten thousand (10,000 hectares) or 0.83% of the total area of the reserve for the conservation of hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius).

The Kandadji Integral Reserve is a protected area of category I b according to the classification of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) corresponding to a wilderness area, a protected area managed mainly for the purpose of protecting wild resources.