They hunt primarily by sound and scent, and they have an acute sense of hearing. Sables also occasionally eat fish, which they catch with their front paws. They eat gastropods such as slugs, which they rub on the ground in order to remove the mucus. Sometimes, sables follow the tracks of wolves and bears and feed on the remains of their kills. They also hunt ermine, small weasels and birds. In winter, when they are confined to their retreats by frost and snow, they feed on wild berries, rodents, hares, and even small musk deer. In the summer, they eat large numbers of mountain hare and other small mammals. Sables are omnivores, and their diet varies seasonally. Their dens are well hidden, and lined by grass and shed fur, but may be temporary, especially during the winter, when the animal travels more widely in search of prey. They are primarily crepuscular, hunting during the hours of twilight, but become more active in the day during the mating season. They are good climbers of cliffs and trees. These burrows are commonly made more secure by being dug among tree roots. Sables live in burrows near riverbanks and in the thickest parts of woods. However, when resources are scarce they may move considerable distances in search of food, with travel rates of 6 to 12 kilometres (3.7 to 7.5 mi) per day having been recorded. They defend home territories that may be anything from 4 to 30 square kilometres (1.5 to 11.6 sq mi) in size, depending on local terrain and food availability. Sables inhabit dense forests dominated by spruce, pine, larch, Siberian cedar, and birch in both lowland and mountainous terrain. Behaviour A Japanese sable, as illustrated in The Illustrated Natural History, 1865 Their skulls are similar to those of pine martens, but larger and more robust with more arched zygomatic arches. Sables greatly resemble pine martens in size and appearance, but have more elongated heads, longer ears and proportionately shorter tails. The fur is softer and silkier than that of American martens. Individuals also display a light patch of fur on their throat which may be gray, white, or pale yellow. Japanese sables (known locally as クロテン or kuroten) in particular are marked with black on their legs and feet. Different subspecies display geographic variations of fur colour, which ranges from light to dark brown, with individual coloring being lighter ventrally and darker on the back and legs. The winter pelage is longer and more luxurious than the summer coat. Females have a body length of 35–51 centimetres (14–20 in), with a tail length of 7.2–11.5 centimetres (2.8–4.5 in). The term has become a generic description for some black-furred animal breeds, such as sable cats or rabbits, and for the colour black in heraldry.ĭescription Illustration from Brehm's Life of Animals The English and Medieval Latin word sabellum comes from the Old French sable or saible. Thus the Russian соболь ( sobol) and Polish soból became the German Zobel, Dutch sabel the French zibeline, Spanish cibelina, cebellina, Finnish soopeli, Portuguese zibelina and Medieval Latin zibellina derive from the Italian form ( zibellino). The name sable appears to be of Slavic origin and entered most Western European languages via the early medieval fur trade. Today, sable fur is often used to decorate clothing items, and the species has no special conservation status according to the IUCN Red List. Sable fur has been highly valued in the fur trade since the early Middle Ages, and its popularity has driven hunting and conservation efforts. Mating occurs between June and August, and litters typically have two or three offspring. They are skilled climbers and primarily hunt by sound and scent. Sables resemble pine martens in size and appearance but have more elongated heads, longer ears, and shorter tails. They are known for their luxurious fur, which ranges from light to dark brown and is softer and silkier than that of American martens. Sables are small, omnivorous mammals that inhabit dense forests in regions like Russia, Mongolia, and China. The name "sable" originates from Slavic languages and entered Western European languages through the medieval fur trade. Its habitat also borders eastern Kazakhstan, China, North Korea and Hokkaido, Japan. The sable ( Martes zibellina) is a species of marten, a small omnivorous mammal primarily inhabiting the forest environments of Russia, from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, and northern Mongolia.
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