Necrophagy in science education: students’ ecological and public-health perceptions of the black vulture (Coragyps atratus) in the Pará Amazon

This study evaluates a low-cost, school-based intervention to improve seventh-graders’ understanding of necrophagy and the ecological role of the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) in an urban Amazonian setting. Using a mixed design, students (n≈30) completed a pre/post questionnaire targeting knowledge (trophic position, ecosystem services) and attitudes (fear/disgust). Changes in paired binary responses were analyzed with McNemar tests. Post-intervention results indicate marked gains in recognizing carrion removal and nutrient recycling as ecosystem services, reduced aversive perceptions, and clearer placement of vultures within detrital pathways. The activity—lecture plus a formative game—proved replicable, inexpensive, and aligned with basic education competencies, suggesting scalability for curricula that integrate biodiversity, sanitation, and human–wildlife coexistence. Findings complement evidence that vultures deliver critical public-health–relevant services by rapidly removing carcasses, and that urban waste regimes strongly influence Black Vulture distribution—underscoring the educational value of locally contextualized scavenger ecology. Together, the results support incorporating short, structured modules on scavenging into science education to foster pro-ecological attitudes and risk-aware behaviors in cities.