Martes zibellina , family Mustelidae) that inhabits forests of northern Asia and is highly valued for its fur.
The name is sometimes applied to related European and Asian species and to the American {{link=marten">marten . The sable is 13–20 in. (32–51 cm) long, excluding the 5–7-in. (13–18-cm) tail, and weighs 2–4 lbs (0.9–1.8 kg). The coat varies from brown to almost black. The solitary, arboreal sable eats small animals and eggs.