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Sable Facts

Sable Facts
Sable is a type of marten that can be found in the eastern and northern parts of Asia. There are 17 subspecies of sable that inhabit lowland and mountain forested areas. Sable is best known by its beautiful, soft pelt that is very popular and valuable in the fur industry (popularity of the sable fur dates from the Middle Ages). Since majority of pelt originates from the farms (where sables are cultivated for fur), number of wild sables is still large and stable. Sable is not on the list of endangered species.
Interesting Sable Facts:
Sable can reach 14 to 22 inches in length and 2 to 4.5 pounds of weight. Tail is 2.8 to 4.7 inches long. Males are larger than females.
Sable is covered with light brown, dark brown or nearly black fur. Density of the fur depends on the season. Coat is shorter and lighter during the summer and thicker and longer during the winter. Patch of white, yellowish or pale grey fur covers the throat.
Sable has elongated head, pointed teeth, sharp claws and long tail.
Sable is an agile climber, but it spends most of its life on the ground. It lives in the well hidden burrows near the riverbanks or inside the roots of the trees.
Sable is crepuscular animal (active at twilight). During the mating season, sable becomes active during the day.
Sable is a carnivore (meat-eater). Its diet consists of weasels, hares, ermine, rodents, fish and slugs. It occasionally consumes berries.
Sable travels 3.7 to 7.5 miles per day to find food. It uses sense of hearing and smell to detect its prey.
Sable is solitary and territorial animal. It occupies territory of 1.5 to 11.6 square miles and uses glands in the abdomen to mark it.
Main predators of sables are wolves, bears, wolverines, tigers and large birds of prey.
Mating season of sables takes place from June to August.
Males aggressively fight with each other to get opportunity to mate. During the courtship ritual, sables jump, run and rumble.
Sables are able to postpone pregnancy (delay embryonic development). Even though pregnancy lasts around 9 months, babies develop in less than a month (25 to 30 days) inside the womb.
Female gives birth in the nest in the tree holes. Nests are made of grass, moss and dry leaves. Babies are blind and covered with thin fur at birth. They leave the nest for the first time after 30 or 36 days. Mother takes care of the babies, while father provides food for the mother.
At the age of 7 weeks, young sables are ready to eat solid food. They reach sexual maturity at the age of 2 years.
Sable can survive 8 years in the wild and up to 18 years in the captivity.


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