Mammals · Carnivora · Mustelidae

Sable

Martes zibellina

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The sable is a mustelid of the Siberian taiga whose fur has for centuries been among the most valuable in the world. It is an opportunistic predator: rodents, squirrels, birds, eggs, insects, pine nuts and berries according to the season. It moves both on the ground and through the trees, and in winter it hunts beneath the snow. Pressure from the fur trade brought it to the brink of extinction in the early 20th century, and the creation of reserves and Soviet hunting bans allowed it to recover to today's abundant populations.

Weight

700 g – 1.8 kg

Size

35 cm – 56 cm

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Irregular activity

Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestMountainCarnivore Variable activity Solitary Temperate forest Mountain Mammal

8countries 11parks28same family

Fun facts

GeneralIts fur was for centuries one of the most valuable goods in Siberia.
Its fur was a currency in medieval Russia and one of the economic drivers of the conquest of Siberia: the sable trade pushed Russian expansion eastwards for centuries.
It practises delayed implantation: the embryo is held in suspension for eight months and only develops in the final weeks, so that the young are born in spring even though mating took place in summer.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Dense coniferous taiga and mixed forest of Siberia, Mongolia and northern China and Japan
Sexual maturity: 15 months
Gestation / incubation: 30 days
Litter / clutch size: 3

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martes_zibellina