Located 2.4 mi (4 km) from Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, the ornithological park of Pont de Gau is a private and landscaped area of almost 150 acres (60 ha) made up of ponds, marshes, reed beds, and sansouïres (silty surfaces). Dedicated to the observation, monitoring, and conservation of Camargue birds, it also carries out an ecotourism mission by facilitating the discovery of the species present in Camargue and educating visitors about nature protection. Greater flamingos (Phœnicopterus roseus), by the hundreds in winter and the thousands in summer, are present there all year round as Camargue is their only breeding ground in Europe.