Biology of the Barguzin sable

The history of our state is inextricably linked withfur animals A perfect example is the Monomakh's Cap, trimmed with the fur of the Barguzin sable. His story is very sad. It shows how the whole species can be put on the brink of complete extinction due to the immoderate and predatory fishery.

This is an extremely agile and very strong animal. Prefers cedar and fir forests, loves the proximity of rivers and lakes, often arranges ambushes for squirrels in the densest crowns of trees.

Even if there are many individuals of the Barguzin sable in the forest, the uninitiated will not even see their tracks, not to mention the animals themselves.

Due to the wide paws, abundantly trimmeddense fur, it does not stop even deep and loose snow. The animal arranges a lair in hollows, often requisitioning a squirrel farm for this, having previously eaten by the owner himself.

Despite the absence of a pronounced dailyactivity, prefers to hunt at dusk and in the morning. A typical way of moving the Barguzin sable is by jumping. That is why its traces are somewhat similar to hare.

There are almost no loud soundspublishes, but can rumble, strongly resembling at the same time the usual domestic cat. The animal is omnivorous, but it prefers more mouse-like rodents, of which its diet in some years consists of 70-80%. It is a real thunderstorm of voles and gray mice.

Do not disdain proteins, climbing behind them on the mosttall trees. In one year, the population of these predators can eat more than one million proteins, reliably preventing their unlimited distribution. If the snow is deep and friable, hares are often the prey of the Barguzin sable, which in such conditions cannot escape.

It is known that he also attacks grouse and wood grouse, but he does this periodically, since birds are not the basis of his diet.

Oddly enough, but Barguzin sable loveswild berries, eating kilograms of blueberries, lingonberries and cloudberries. So he fills up the lack of vitamins and provides his digestive tract with fiber. In addition, sables love sweet, which has been repeatedly proven when observing domesticated individuals.

Следует знать, что охотничья территория одного only the animal is about 200 hectares (!) of the forest. In the mountainous area, the animal annually makes huge vertical migrations. Every five to seven years, sables begin to disappear en masse and move for 150-200 km from their previous possessions. This is due to the periodic depletion of food supply.

Mating takes place in June or July, and the pregnancy is characterized by the presence of a frozen phase. They puppies in May, and in the southern regions - in April.

Cubs are born tiny:their weight does not exceed 40 grams. Within four months, the babies reach the size of an adult. They begin to multiply only from two years, and the active fertile stage lasts up to 13-15 years.

On the territory of the young USSR by the 30s of the pastcenturies, almost all of their population was exterminated. Tough laws were established, with the result that in our time the Barguzin sable (the photo of which is in the article) almost completely restored its number.