Martes zibellina
sable

Martes zibellina is found throughout northern Asia, once spanning the area from Scandinavia to northern China (Ognev, 1962). Its current distribution does not extend as far west, but it is still found throughout Siberia into northern China.

This species is found in the dense taiga forests, flatlands, and mountain regions of northern Asia (Grizimek , 1990). M. zibellina are found in the spruce and cedar forests of eastern Siberia and the larch and pine forests of western Siberia. It seems only to avoid extremely barren high mountain tops (Ognev, 1962). The species is mostly terrestrial, hunting and constructing dens on the forest floor (Ognev, 1962).

M. zibellina shows sexual dimorphism between males and females. Males have a body length between 380 -560 mm and a tail length between 90-120 mm. The weight of males ranges between 880-1800 grams while females weigh between 700 and 1560 grams. Female body length ranges between 350 and 510 mm and their tail length is 72-115 mm (Walker, 1995). The winter pelage is longer and more luxurious than the summer coat (Ognev, 1962). Fur color ranges from light to dark brown in different sub-species with individual fur color being lighter ventrally and darker on the back and legs (Gizimek, 1990). Individuals also display a light patch of fur on their throat which may be gray, white, or a pale yellow (Ognev, 1962).

On fur farms individuals have been observed to live up to 18 years, while individuals in the wild probably have a maximum lifespan of 8 years (Tarasov, 1975). Roughly two-thirds of the wild sable population is composed of individuals under two years of age (Tarasov, 1975)

Individuals are diurnal, using their sense of smell and hearing to hunt for small prey (Ognev, 1962). M. zibellina have been observed to hide in their dens for days during inclimate periods such as snow storms, or when they are being hunted by humans (Ognev, 1962). Although potentially vicious in the wild, accounts of domesticated individuals have described M. zibellina as playful, curious, and tame if taken from their mother at a young age (Ognev, 1962).

M. zibellina are primarily carnivorous feeding on mice, chipmunks, squirrels, bird eggs, small birds, and even fish (Ognev, 1962). Individuals eat berries, cedar nuts, and vegetation when primary food sources are scare (Ognev, 1962). When weather conditions are exteme M. zibellina stores prey inside its den to sustain itself until it can hunt again (Ognev, 1962).

M. zibellina is well equipped with sharp claws and sharp teeth to defend itself against non-human predators.

M. zibellina is a major predator of small rodents in northern Asia and Siberia.

M. zibellina has been hunted for its fur throughout human history and population numbers had been severely reduced because of extensive hunting early this century (Grizimek, 1990). Hunting is only allowed by licensed persons now and fur farms have been established to allow wild populations to grow. These measures have allowed M. zibellina populations to grow and reestablish the wider range that they once occupied in the taiga (Grizimek, 1990)

IUCN lists one subspecies, M. zibellina brachyurus (Japanese Sable) as "data deficient", but granted no special status to the species in general. was listed under appendix 1 status in 1994.