The Aigues-Mortes saltworks house some 200 different bird species, 157 of which are protected. Among them, the pink flamingo is one of the birds that attract the most visitors, the saltworks being the first reserve for the species in Europe. These large waders live by the thousands on the salt marshes that display the same pink color as the flamingos thanks to the presence of the Dunaliella salina micro-algae, rich in carotene.