Male sables can weigh up to about 43 pounds, and females can weigh up to about 31 pounds. Sables are the second largest species of marten, after the wolverine. They are a little smaller than weasels, with long, slender bodies and short legs. They have black fur with a reddish brown or cream colored throat and belly. Their fur is very soft, and is highly prized by furriers. Sables are solitary animals who live in forests and woodlands in northern Europe, Russia, and Asia. They are excellent climbers and use their powerful claws to dig out food from beneath the snow. They prey on small mammals such as rabbits, hares, squirrels, and rats.