Siberian fur trade fur surpasses all other types of fur due to its silky dense texture and luminous shades of beige, brown, gold, silver, and black. The darkest shades of sable fur are the most valuable. Next to sable, Siberian fox furs and squirrel pelts are the most valued furs from the region. In addition to sable, black and white fox, ermine, beaver, squirrel, lynx, wolf, wolverine, rabbit, marten, walrus, sea otter, and polar bear were also hunted for their pelts. Most of these fur bearing animals are found in the Siberian taiga, except for the sea otters and walrus that were found
Fur trade waters between the Columbia River to the south and Cook Inlet to the north. The fur of the Californian southern sea otter, "E. l. nereis", was less highly prized and thus less profitable. After the northern sea otter was hunted to local extinction, maritime fur traders shifted to California until the southern sea otter was likewise nearly extinct. The British and American maritime fur traders took their furs to the Chinese port of Guangzhou (Canton), where they worked within the established Canton System. Furs from Russian America were mostly sold to China via the Mongolian trading town of Kyakhta, which