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| sable, a weasel |
Animal world | mammals | sables | The sable is a small animal in the weasel family. It has the most valuable pelt of all weasels. It lives in Siberia, and is closely related to the North American pine marten, or American sable. The sable measures about 20 inches (50 cm) long, including its 5-inch (13 cm) tail. Its lustrous fur ranges in color from dark brown to almost black, with a grayish-yellow patch on the throat. The sable's coat does not change to white in winter, as do those of some animals. In Europe, sable is used in the robes of rulers and officials. Furriers make it into women's expensive fur clothing.
Sables range from eastern Russia across Siberia to Hokkaido, in northern Japan. Because of the demand for the fur, trappers have killed off the animals in the wester and southwestern portions of the Russian range. Sables are rare almost everywhere. Russia has closed the traping season several times, and has experimented succesfully with raising sables.
