The Camargue is a vast wetland area between the two arms of the Rhône delta as they flow into the Mediterranean. The area has been managed by humans for thousands of years, where systems of dykes and ditches have created a mosaic of etangs (saltwater ponds) and freshwater marsh areas.
Geographically, the Camargue is Western Europe’s largest river delta and supports a huge diversity of birdlife. As such, it has been designated a Ramsar site as a “Wetland of International Importance”, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International.
Saltmarsh
Freshwater pond
Culturally, the Camargue region is famous for its production of rice and salt, and for the Camargue bulls and white Camargue horses, which roam the area in semi-feral conditions and help to maintain the wetland environment.
Camargue horses with a cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Camargue bulls
Starting in the northern Camargue, there is a large freshwater influence. Here there are freshwater ponds, surrounded by dense reedbeds and isolated stands of trees. These are excellent breeding sites for herons and egrets, including summer visitors such as Squacco Herons and Black-Crowned Night Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax).
Boardwalk in the Scamandre freshwater pond
Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)
The European Pond Terrapin can also be found in the freshwater pools. This species is the most northerly-distributed turtle in the world, but in France, its populations are in decline. It has suffered competition from the introduced Red-Eared Terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans) and has been classified as ‘Near Threatened’ by the IUCN.
European Pond Terrapin (Emys orbicularis)
Further south, salt production is still very apparent at Salin-de-Giraud. The creation of the shallow salt-extraction ponds has led to highly saline environments, with their associated wildlife. The micro-organisms inhabiting the hypersaline ponds include algae and halobacteria, which are responsible for the water’s vivid red colour, along with Artemia brine shrimp.
Red hypersaline pond
These in turn are among the food-sources of the thousands of greater flamingos that breed in the Camargue, providing an important source of carotenoids for the flamingos to gain their pink colouration.
Greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus)
The Camargue provides excellent breeding habitats for many species of birds, but is also used by many wintering and ‘passage’ birds, which migrate through the area towards wintering grounds in Africa. The Camargue wetlands are an important stop for migratory birds to feed and replenish fat reserves before continuing on to make their Mediterranean crossing.
Student observing flamingos
Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
Many of these migrant birds are waders, including the summer visitors that have bred here (e.g. black-winged stilts), those that overwinter here (e.g. common snipe), and others such as the black-tailed godwit and ruff that visit while on their migration route. A visit in early autumn can mean that many of these are present as once, during the changeover period.
Black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Common snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Ruff (Calidris pugnax)
Alongside its avian diversity, the Camargue is well known for being home to a large invasive species: the coypu. The coypu is native to South America and is a little smaller than a beaver, with a long thin tail. It was introduced to Europe for its fur in the 1800’s and although it is no longer farmed, escapes and deliberate releases have meant that it has developed a well-established population here. They can be problematic as they burrow into the banks and eat a variety of terrestrial and aquatic plants, causing damage to wetlands.
Coypu or nutria (Myocastor coypu)
The Camargue thus represents an extremely interesting place to visit for ecologists. There are conflicts between native and invasive species, and the actions of humans are intertwined with the biodiversity of the region. Without the historical management for salt and rice production, the basins that support rich birdlife may not have come to exist as they are. As such, much of the land is still managed for biodiversity, including by the grazing efforts of the Camargue cattle and white horses that roam the wetlands.
