Animals
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 Urub·
The black vulture, or urub·, is one of the few animals in the Amazon which has
prospered from man's development in the region. Like all vultures, it is a natural
scavenger, and highly adaptable. Urub· are big black vile-looking birds with an
almost menacing appearance. They are about 60cm (24 inches) long, with a wingspan of more
than a metre. They are completely covered in black feathers, with the exception of their
head which is bald.
In undeveloped areas urub·s feed on the remains of dead animals, decaying fruits and
vegetation, and small animals. In other words, they will eat practically anything they can
get away with. But travellers are most likely to see them scavenging rubbish around river
towns and riverside camps. They seem to prefer smaller sized towns, you'll see lots around
SantarΘm and Monte Alegre, but vitually none in Manaus or BelΘm.
 To
most observers, the urub· is an object of disgust. It is greedy and pushy. If you wander
near the rubbish piles behind the markets in some small river towns, you are likely to to
see groups of urub· fighting over scraps, squawking, and pushing each other out of the
way. Urub· are rarely alone – if one of them finds food, it's joined almost
immediately by a swarm of others eager to claim a part of it.
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