three kilometers inland is the santa clara hill, and just a little further away are the cantagalo and the inhoaíba ridges.

to the southeast of ilha do urubu is a very important nature reserve, the biological and archeological reserve of guaratiba   (reserva biológica e arqueológica de guaratiba - rbag), known for the diversity of wildlife present there.    links

this includes a great assortment of bird species which aggregate in large flocks.

among the se birdsis, in fact, the american vulture -locally known as 'urubu.'