Camargue
Situated in the Bouches-du-Rhone region of the Provence in France - the Camargue combines a diverse array of wildlife, scenery and industry.
The Camargue is a marshy delta where two branches of the Rhone River meet the Mediteranean. Pink flamingos and salt make this area of southern France famous.
Almost 90 per cent of the 360-sq-mile delta is protected as a national park home to dozens of unique species of flora and fauna, not to mention animals. The triangular plain was once an island, but thousands of years of silt and mud carried by the Rhone River has transformed the landscape of this delicate ecosystem.
Camargue horses are the only known descendents of prehistoric horses that roamed Europe during the Paleolithic period. These small horses are sometimes classified as ponies. Many roam free in the park, but their gentle nature makes them an easy horse to train. Camargue horses are born a dark brown or black but lighten to pale grey or white as mature.
One million tourists visit Camargue every year, so protecting the world heritage wetland is a major concern. Over 400 species of birds use the marshes as breeding or feeding grounds.
