The flamingo is a protected species, and an emblem of the Camargue. But it has also become the object of a certain controversy, since the birds trample down young rice shoots just after planting, which is a crucial time for the success of the crop. And so the question arises – are flamingos and rice-growing compatible? A number of initiatives have been taken, with a view to solving this problem: • an information centre is open during the spring, close to the flamingo colony, to deal with issues such as the surveillance of the birds' reproductive cycle, and public access; • "scare tactics": sound guns can be placed in the rice fields during the spring; • the park financed a study on the damage caused by the flamingos, and its conclusion was that rice fields surrounded by rows of trees suffered less than others. Flamingos and rice production can thus be made more compatible by planting such "flamingo-breaks". • reforestation. Assistance is available for the planting of trees in the rice-growing part of the park, and this, so to speak, kills two birds with one stone, since it reduces incursions by the flamingos while at the same time contributing to the improvement of the landscape.
