Native to the vast forests of northern Asia, particularly Siberia, Mongolia, China, Korea, and parts of Japan, the sable is a small but striking carnivore that has fascinated humans for centuries. Sleek, agile, and secretive, it has a reputation as both a forest phantom and a symbol of luxury, thanks to its famously soft and lustrous fur.

Their fur is one of their most notable features: dense, silky, and ranging in color from pale golden-brown to nearly black, with darker individuals considered the most prized. Unlike many animals whose coats lose quality in captivity, the sable’s pelt remains incredibly soft, which made it a coveted material in the fur trade for over a thousand years. Its importance was so great that sable pelts were once used as a form of currency in medieval Russia, and control of sable-rich lands was a major driver of Russian expansion into Siberia.

But beyond its history with humans, the sable is a remarkable animal in its own right. It is an omnivorous hunter, feeding on small mammals like hares and rodents, as well as birds, fish, berries, and even carrion when necessary. This varied diet allows it to thrive in the harsh climates of the taiga. Agile and quick, it can climb trees with ease, leaping from branch to branch in pursuit of prey, which makes it quite different from many ground-dwelling mustelids. It is also highly territorial, marking its range with scent glands, and can travel long distances through snowy forests in search of food.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

China

2015

Japan

2015

Hokkaido

Kazakhstan

2015

Mongolia

2015

North Korea

2015

Russia

2015