An area created 31st October 1978 and protected by the state under the Supreme decree No. 185-78-AA, it has a surface area of 36,180 hectares and includes lakeshore terrains and a portion of the lake itself. The reserve is divided into two sectors, that of the bay close to the city of Puno has 29,150 hectares, and that of Ramis located in the province of Huancané (North of lake Titicaca) with 7,030 hectares.

Totora reed is a renewable natural resource that grows
in the shallow shorelines of the lake. It forms a wildlife ecosystem and is also the base of socioeconomic development, due to the many ways it is put to use by different rural community populations, especially by the Uros people who use the totora as a vital element for their very survival.


In the totora reed banks the Uros fish and gather bird eggs. They also use the "guilli" to build the floating platforms for their islands. "Guilli" is the root of the totora and the earth attached to it which in time separates itself from the lake bed and floats. This forms the vital base on which the Uros floating islands are built. On the islands they then build their houses and the totora is used for this and to roof the houses, as well as to build boats and feed their animals. Also, the white part of the totora (chullo) is eaten by humans and contains iodine. Is it used in arts and crafts and also as a natural dye for its blankets made of alpaca wool.

The totora is a natural water purifier and is also a fundamental element in the economy of inhabitants around the lakeshore, as thanks to totora and llacho both sheep and cattle are fed which provide cash income for town fiestas, marriages etc.