Editing Sable (section)

==Reproduction==
Mating generally occurs between June and August 15, though the date varies geographically.<ref name="Ognev"/><ref name="grizimek"/> When courting, sables run, jump and "rumble" like [[cat]]s. Males dig metre long shallow grooves in the snow, frequently accompanied by urination.<ref name="tarasov"/> Males fight each other violently for females.<ref name="Ognev"/> Females enter [[estrus]] in spring. Mating can last as long as eight hours. After [[insemination]], the [[blastocyst]] does not implant into the uterine wall of the female. Instead, implantation occurs [[delayed implantation|eight months later]]; although [[gestation]] lasts 245 to 298 days, embryonic development requires only 25–30 days.<ref name="grizimek"/> Sables give birth in tree hollows, where they build nests composed of moss, leaves, and dried grass.<ref name="trapper"/>  Litters number one to seven young, although litters of two or three are most common. Males assist females by defending their territories and providing food.<ref name=tarasov>Tarasov, P. (1975). "Intraspecific Relations in Sable and Ermine", pp. 45–54 in C. King, ed. ''Biology of Mustelids: Some Soviet Research''. Boston Spa: British Library Lending Division. {{ISBN|9780853501268}}</ref>

Sables are born with eyes closed and skin covered in a very thin layer of hair. Newborn cubs weigh between {{convert|25|and|35|g|oz}} and average {{convert|10|to|12|cm|in}} in length.<ref name="Ognev"/><ref name="grizimek"/><ref name=Monakhov2011/> They open their eyes between 30 and 36 days, and leave the nest shortly afterwards.<ref name="walker"/><ref name="grizimek"/> At seven weeks, the young are weaned and given regurgitated food.<ref name="Ognev"/> They reach [[sexual maturity]] at the age of two years.<ref name="walker"/> They have been reported to live for up to twenty two years on fur farms, and up to eighteen years in the wild.<ref name=Monakhov2011/>

Sables can interbreed with [[pine marten]]s. This has been observed in the wild, where the two species overlap in the [[Ural Mountains]], and is sometimes deliberately encouraged on fur farms. The resulting hybrid, referred to as a '''kidus''', is slightly smaller than a pure sable, with coarser fur, but otherwise similar markings, and a long bushy tail. Kiduses are typically [[sterility (physiology)|sterile]], although there has been one recorded instance of a female kidus successfully breeding with a male pine marten.<ref name=Monakhov2011/>