Martes zibellina ( Linnaeus, 1758 )

Jo, Yeong-Seok, Baccus, John T. & Koprowski, John L., 2018, Mammals of Korea: a review of their taxonomy, distribution and conservation status, Zootaxa 4522 (1), pp. 1-216 : 71

Martes zibellina ( Linnaeus, 1758) —Sable

Mustela zibellina Linnaeus, 1758 p.46 ; Type locality- northern part of Tobol’sk Province, Russia.

Martes zibellina coreensis Kishida, 1927b p.130 ; Type locality- Korea (Without complete diagnosis).

Martes zibellina hamgyenensis Kishida, 1927c p.509 (Nomen novum); Kishida & Mori, 1931 p.380; Kuroda, 1938 p.28; Ellerman & Morrison-Scott, 1951 p.249; Won, 1967 p.111; Won, 1958 p.438; Won, 1968 p.291; Yoon, 1992 p.107; Oh, 2004a p.176.

Martes zibellina: Won, 1968 p.291 ; Corbet, 1978 p.173; Han, 1994 p.46; Won & Smith, 1999 p.19; Oh, 2004 p.176.

Range: M. zibellina was once common and distributed from central to North Korea ( Fig. 45 ). Recently, sables became restricted to high mountains in northeastern Korea ( Jin & Ouh 1990; Won & Smith 1999). However, the North Korean government has seldom implemented surveys to monitor populations. Historically, prime habitat and large populations of sables occurred in Gapsan County, Ryanggang Province.

Remarks: Two subspecies, M. z. hamgyenensis and M. z. coreensis , were recognized in the Korean Peninsula ( Won 1967). The two subspecies were considered synonyms of M. z. kamtchadalica ( Wozencraft 2005). However, Heptner et al. (1967) considered the Korean population as a M. z. arsenjevi without precise justification.

Conservation status: The North Korean government banned hunting for this species in 1959. The montane habitat with M. zibellina in Bocheon County, Ryanggang Province was designated a Natural Monument in 1973. Also, two more sites of occurrence of M. zibellina (Samjiyeon County and Beakam County) became Natural Monuments in 1980. The Red Data Book of North Korea classified this species as ‘Endangered’ (MAB National Committee of DPR Korea 2002).

Figures

FIGURE 45. Range map of Martes zibellina in Korea.