The Ministry of Environment and Water has banned the import and breeding of American minks (Neovison vison) in this country because of the harm to biodiversity, the Ministry press service has announced.

The order issued by Environment Minister Borislav Sandov reads that if they were to be released into the wild accidentally, they would replace and destroy protected species of mammals, birds, reptiles. Moreover, there exists a risk to the activities of fish farms, and they spread zoonoses, including coronaviruses. Because of its powerful negative impact, this species is No. 19 in the list of the 100 most invasive alien species in Europe, and is among the top invasive alien species in Bulgaria.