Camargue Cattle

Description:

Camargue Cattle (Bos (primigenius) taurus) - a bull - at the Camargue near Arles, France. << The cattle are black in color with upward sweeping horns. They are hardy animals thriving on the marshes where they live semi-wild, tended by the mounted herders called gardians who ride the famous Camargue horses which live in the same area. >>

Habitat:

The Camargue cattle breed, in Provençal: Raço di bioù, is native to the Camargue marshlands of the delta of the River Rhone in southern France. The cattle are black in color with upward sweeping horns. They are hardy animals thriving on the marshes where they live semi-wild, tended by the mounted herders called gardians who ride the famous Camargue horses which live in the same area. The bulls are used for bull-fighting and for the course camarguaise; animals suitable neither for the bull-ring nor for breeding are sold for beef. The breed is also regarded as a tourist attraction. The meat of the Camargue breed, along with that of the Brava cattle breed and crosses between the two, can under strict conditions of pasturage and of zone and methods of production be marketed with the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) "Taureau de Camargue" certification of origin; animals that have appeared in the bull-ring are excluded. The breed is not endangered, with the population estimated at 5950 head. The cattle share the wetland environment with the horses, wild boar, and flamingoes. Cattle Egrets live with the cattle. (credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camargue_ca...)