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17/11/2020 News

Adopt a Flamingo to Protect the Camargue Wetlands

 

Is it their color or their elegant poise that makes flamingos so iconic? Whatever the case, Tour du Valat, a research institute and registered public-interest foundation, has decided to harness the bird’s popularity to raise awareness about wetland conservation. It is launching an original online initiative giving participants the chance to adopt a flamingo. Its goal? To raise funds to protect biodiversity within endangered wetland ecosystems. The platform is jointly funded by Total Foundation and the Crédit Agricole Foundation.

Tour du Valat, founded in 1954 by a bird-loving naturalist, conducts both wetland research and conservation activities. Located in the heart of France’s Camargue region, its grounds cover close to 3,000 hectares, a part of which is a recognized nature reserve, and are a prime location for observing and studying biodiversity.

A trailblazer in its field, Tour du Valat was behind an international wetland conservation convention in the early 1970s, and its work has in particular made this area of the Camargue a major nesting site for greater flamingos. The institute also contributes to the development of public policies in France and other Mediterranean countries.

Tour du Valat has made an alarming finding: wetlands are receding under the pressures of industry, tourism, agriculture, urbanization and other factors. In France, wetland area halved in size between 1960 and 1990. And yet, these unique ecosystems are extremely rich in biodiversity, hosting a wide variety of bird and plant species, as well as reptiles, butterflies and crustaceans.

To fund the conservation of these ecosystems, Tour du Valat is giving individuals and businesses the chance to adopt a flamingo of their choice for €25 to €100 depending on the package. This fun and emotionally driven approach seeks to raise awareness about the fate of these migratory birds and the protection of their habitat.

Continuing a partnership established over ten years ago, Total Foundation is supporting this initiative as part of its climate and environment initiatives. Through this alliance, Total Foundation also backs a flamingo research program, a study of slender-billed gull population dynamics, marshland biodiversity monitoring, and the Mediterranean Wetlands Observatory.

By supporting research initiatives on coastal biodiversity, Total Foundation is helping the Total Group achieve its biodiversity goals.

You can support this program by adopting a flamingo.