culled

Danes start digging up minks to prevent water pollution

Danes start digging up minks to prevent water pollution

Denmark has begun excavating the decomposing bodies of some 4 million mink, for fear they will pollute drinking water or a bathing lake. In November, Denmark culled all of its minks out of fears the animals could re-transmit the coronavirus to humans after a mutated form of the virus was found on mink farms. There were concerns that the mutated variant could threaten the effectiveness of future vaccines. More than 17 million animals were culled, devastating Denmark's fur industry -- the largest in the EU.