Grazing

The Camargue is an ancient breed of horses found in the Camargue area in Southern France, at the Rhone delta. Nowadays, they are still employed to herd the black Camargue bulls used in bullfighting on grazing land. This rough animal was able to survive harsh and hostile environments. Nowadays, thanks to its features the Camargue has developed remarkable robustness. This breed usually lives on wetlands and it mainly feeds on reeds and marshy vegetation. Its physical structure is proof of its adjustment to the life conditions of wet areas. It is charcterised by a small size, fairly short limbs and a large hoof and astonishing agility even in soft mud and in water. Camargue horses are born black or dark brown in colour, but as they grow to adulthood, their coat lightens until it is pale grey or white. It seems likely that this feature developed over the centuries. Their coat is very resistant to the sunshine and its light colour attracts insects less. They are characterised by a calm temperament and agility and they can make a good use of their energy even if they often show a relaxed attitude and a playful mood.

Such horses were introduced to the Reserve in 1991 for the first time thanks to regional financing. They play an important role as they help conserve the environment as far as vegetation is concerned. In fact, the Reserve’s natural evolution would generally tend to be characterised by thicket reeds and riparian woods while the typical flora and fauna of grazing land would be subject to totally disappear. Therefore, the Camargue’s presence helped increase environmental diversity and it boosted the number of vegetable and animal species and birds above all, as they prefer open wet areas with low waters

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