Vanishing Breed

 

European mink once thrived along waterways throughout most of Europe．The fur of this small mammal is soft and beautiful．But some people believed the fur of its relative the American mink was more desirable．Fur farmers released thousands of American mink in eastern Europe，and they spread throughout Europe．In the wild，American mink chased the other species away from the best hunting grounds．Now just a few hundred European mink remain――making them Europe’s most endangered mammal．To save the mink，scientists are establishing a breeding population of them on an island in the BALTIC SEA．Without help，says David Macdonald of Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit in England，the European mink is“heading for extinction