Sable

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This article is about the furry mustelid animal. For other meanings, see sable (disambiguation).

Sable Conservation status: Least concern (LR/lc)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae Genus: Martes Species: M. zibellina
Binomial name
Martes zibellina Linnaeus, 1758

The sable (Martes zibellina) is a small mammal, closely akin to the martens, living in northern Asia from the Ural Mountains through Siberia and Mongolia to Hokkaido in Japan. Its range in the wild originally extended through European Russia to Poland and Scandinavia. It has achieved fame for its fur, which is integrated into various clothes fashions (for example the shtreimel). Sables range in color from tan to black, black being the most prized.

Sables are diurnal predators, using their sense of smell and hearing to hunt for small prey. They have been observed to hide in their dens for days during periods such as snow storms, or when they are being hunted by humans. In the wild they are potentially vicious; although there are "domesticated" sables who have been described as playful, curious, and even "tame" (if taken from their mother at a young age). They are mostly terrestrial, hunting and constructing dens on the forest floor. They feed on chipmunks, squirrels, mice, small birds and fish. When primary sources are scarce they eat berries, vegetation, and pine nuts. When weather conditions are extreme they will store their prey in their den.

The name sable appears to be Slavonic in origin: compare Russian sobol, whence various languages have adapted the term: German Zobel, Dutch Sabel; the French zibelline Spanish cibelina, cebellina and Mediaeval Latin zibellina derive from the Italian form. The English and Mediaeval Latin word sabellum comes from the Old French sable or saible.

Sable hair is used both for the fur industry as well as for paint brushes. Sable fur makes the finest water color or oil paint brushes and is especially sought after by artists. The Kolinsky sable-hair brush is produced using the winter fur of the male sable, and considered the highest quality artist brushes available.

The term has become a generic description for some black-furred animal breeds, such as sable cats or rabbits.

The lyrics of a popular Christmas song "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt makes mention of a sable thusly, "Santa Baby, slip a sable under the tree, for me." In this usage it refers to an article of clothing such as a coat made of the fur of the sable.

[edit] References

• Mustelid Specialist Group (1996). Martes zibellina. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 09 May 2006.