[1] The reserve lies along a stretch of the Purus River between the towns of Lábrea and Canutama.

The population of about 200 families includes gatherers, riverine farmers, fishermen and rubber tappers.

[3] The Canutama Extractive Reserve was created by Amazonas state decree 28421 of 27 March 2009.

[4] The conservation unit was created with five others totalling 23,000 square kilometres (8,900 sq mi) to help meet the requirements for granting an environmental license to reconstruction work on the BR-319 highway that connects Porto Velho to Manaus.

[3] On 16 November 2009 the Instituto Nacional de Colonização e Reforma Agrária (INCRA – National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform) recognised the reserve as supporting 200 families who would be eligible for PRONAF.