In our country, there are two species of mink: European Mink (Mustela Lutreola) and American Mink (Mustela Vison).

European Mink (mustela lutreola) existed in several countries / areas, but due to the expansion of agricultural areas which have become larger, they including various waters and pools, European mink gradually retreated and came to refold in the Danube Delta.
American Mink (Mustela vison) was first imported from America, the country of origin, in the Scandinavian countries and from the Scandinavian countries passed to other countries in the south: Germany, France, Italy, Austria. Since 1970, American mink was imported also to Romania and in several points: at Scrovistea Bucharest, Racaciuni Bacau, Fur Animals Research Institute of Tg. Mures, Gilau Cluj, Prejmer Brasov and other locations, but in smaller numbers.

The wild American mink were hunted for fur in the beginning from the large lakes of the United States. In every area of this Mustela vison’s habitat many types were known, both by color, and by quantity-size types of these animals. However, it is necessary to note that even now it exists in the wild in the American area, the one color American mink, which is considered genetically standard color, namely a dark color with a brownish shade.

By breeding American mink in captivity, during a few years, from the newer generations of cubs resulted some kind of transformation in the color. The first colored mink that appeared and became stand-alone was the silver blue – blue. Of course that the first coat which was made of such color (close to the Second World War – the interwar period) was sold at about $ 50,000. Along the way, however, concurrently with the blue mink, the royal-brown pastel mink, palomino-light beige mink, white mink, etc., began to appear. Today, largely speaking, 30 mutations of stand-alone color are known, and by combining these colors were obtained by those variations that currently exceed 250 color types. Of course that these American minks come from an extremely vast area incomparably larger than European countries and we also mean Romania.”