Genetic variability and age structure of sable (Martes zibellina L., 1758) in the Jewish autonomous region

The genetic variability and age structure analysis of the sable population in the Jewish Autonomous region (JAR) was carried out on the basis of six hunting seasons 2011-2022. The authors studied the distribution of genotypes, allelic composition and its change over time for microsatellites Ma3 and Mer_041. In most of the seasonal collections, there was a lack of heterozygotes. However, the genotypic balance for both loci was disturbed only in one season of six. The age structure analysis was carried out on the materials (hunting collections of sables) of five hunting seasons in the JAR. It showed that the most represented are the age groups actively involved in reproduction, while the number of underyearlings is somewhat lower. We can assume a more or less stable state of the sable population in JAR , which is confirmed by the data of genetic analysis.