Scientific Name: Martes zibellina
Common Name: Sable
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustilidae
To hear the sound of a sable copy the URL below into your browser:
http://www.moscowzoo.ru/docs/C134_Threatening%20sounds.mp3
Fun Fact: Did you know that the pelts of sables have been sought after since ancient times.

In the picture a sable is shown in a meadow.

This map shows the range of places where the sable lives in red.

Map of Range: Northern Asia and Europe
Major Countries in Range: China, Japan, N. Korea, Mongolia, Russia, Siberia, and
N. Scandinavia – W. Poland
Type of Habitat or Ecosystem: Temperate and terrestrial, which includes taiga and forests

Adult Weight:
Male- 1.9401-3.9683 lbs. (.88-1.8 kg) 
Female- 1.5432-3.4392 lbs. (.7-1.56 kg)
Adult Length:
Male- 47-68 cm (18.5039-26.7717 in) 
Female- 42.2-62.5 cm (16.6142-24.6063 in)
Size comparison to a human –
Weight ratio compared to a human of 150 lb  .018:1
Height ratio compared to a human of 1.75 m  .314:1
Major features in Phenotype: A sable’s fur color ranges from light to dark brown, almost black. The color is lighter on their belly but darker on their back and legs. They also have a patch of fur on their throat that is gray, white, or pale yellow.

This is a picture of a sable standing in the snow near a bench.

Physical Adaptations:
A physical adaptation is a physical trait that makes an animal’s chance for survival higher.

1. The sable’s fur is longer in the winter than it is in the summer. This allows it to stay warm when the weather gets colder. Their fur gets shorter in the summer to allow them to cool off better.
2. The sable also has semi-retractable claws and pointed teeth. These traits help to defend against predators. But when they sense predators they usually go to their den or a cave nearby, especially when they sense humans. Sables used to be rare because of all the hunting, but then the gov. banned hunting them and they were raised up so there are more now.
3. They have broad paws covered with dense hairs, which allows the sable to climb trees well. They prefer to stay on the ground instead though and catch prey such as birds and squirrels as well as berries and fruits.
4. The females’ small size makes it easier to prey off animals that shelter in burrows. It also helps them to stay safe from predators during the day.

Behavioral Adaptations:
A behavioral adaptation is something in an animal’s behavior that increases their chance for survival.

1. The male sable makes ruts or grooves in the snow about one meter long. They use these ruts as platforms to attract females by running and jumping or having violent fights with each other.
2. The sable hides in its den when they are being hunted by humans and on days during weather events such as snowstorms.
3. Females stay within a smaller territory so they are at less risk of being attacked from predators when they are wandering for food.

Age of Maturity: 2 or 3
Average number of offspring: 2 or 3
Gestational period: 200-300 days
Sexual Dimorphism:
Sexual dimorphism is physical traits that enable you to distinguish a male animal from a female animal. Males and females differ in size and weight. The female sable has been discovered to have a smaller size and weight than the male sable.
Sexual selection traits are characteristics or traits that allow a male/female of one species to attract the opposite sex of the same species. All male sables dig ruts one meter long. Where there are a few males they run and jump, but if there are a lot of them, they have violent fights. At seven weeks newborn sables are weaned and given regurgitated food by their mother. The female sable takes care of her young babies, and the male sable just protects their territory.

The conservation status for the sable is lc which stands for least concern. This means that the sable has a big population, it has enough space for its habitat, and it is not being hunted too much. The sable is hunted for its exquisite fur. But now hunting is allowed only by licensed people and fur farms have been established to allow the population to grow. In China studies have been made to develop methods to use them commercially without decreasing the annual population growth. There have also been reserves made for forty through fifty percent of their habitat. Logging of primary dense, coniferous habitat in Siberia and the Far East have also threatened the sable, but not to a great extent.

This is a picture of a sable in mid-air.

Fun Facts:
The sable has one of the rarest furs in the world! A coat made of its fur is $36,000.
Their tails can grow up to ½ of the size of their bodies.
About 2/3 of their population is below two years old.
Their pelt has been sought after since ancient times.
The best paintbrush in the world is one made of sable fur.
The word sable is derived from a French word meaning sand.

Sources used for research:
Sable, http://www.thewebsiteofeverything.com/weblog/pivot/entry.php?id=549

Sable, Martes Zibellina, http://itech.pjc.edu/sctag/Sable/Index.htm, Laura Leighty

Martes Zibellina, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41652, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources

Sable Mammal, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/515101/sable

Sources used for Picture:

http://www.sable-pro.net/rl-sable.jpg

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/images/photos2007/fe20070418mba.jpg

http://itech.pjc.edu/sctag/Sable/sabledrawing.jpg

http://itech.pjc.edu/sctag/Sable/furcoat.jpg

http://www.iucnredlist.org/images/range/thumbs/41652_v1224017312.png

http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/Arch03/1129203636.jpg

Source used for Sound:
http://www.moscowzoo.ru/get.asp?id=C134