Fur trade the "yasak" (or iasak) tax on natives and the 10% "Sovereign Tithing Tax" imposed on both the catch and sale of fur pelts. Fur was in great demand in Western Europe, especially sable and marten, since European forest resources had been over-hunted and furs had become extremely scarce. Fur trading allowed Russia to purchase from Europe goods that it lacked, like lead, tin, precious metals, textiles, firearms, and sulphur. Russia also traded furs with Ottoman Turkey and other countries in the Middle East in exchange for silk, textiles, spices, and dried fruit. The high prices that sable, black fox, and
Hunting in Romania chase critters even in their burrows. Fox hunting ("vanatoarea de vulpe") is also featured in Romanian literature and folk tales, where the cunning of the fox is a common theme. Small game furbearers are plentiful in Romania and usually hunted with the aid of dogs and snow tracking. Species include European badger ("Meles meles"), European hare ("Lepus europaeus"), European pine marten ("Martes martes"), beech marten ("Martes foina"), European polecat ("Mustela putorius"), ermine ("Mustela erminea") and weasel ("Mustela nivalis"). A rare animal is the marmot ("Marmota marmota"). Otter ("Lutra lutra") can be found in the Danube Delta and other marshlands, and