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Lemming behaviour and appearance are markedly different from those of other rodents, which are inconspicuously coloured and try to conceal themselves from their predators. Lemmings, by contrast, are conspicuously coloured and behave aggressively toward predators and even human observers.
During the winter, Arctic lemmings make nests in order to help maintain thermoregulation, maintaining their young, and aids in their survival against predators. [9] One of their predators is the Arctic Fox and they would find that it difficult to hunt lemmings because they would burrow themselves deep within the snow.
The northern bog lemming lives in wet habitats in North America and is omnivorous, eating herbaceous material and invertebrates. [4] They are thought to be extremely sociable animals and sexually mature at around 6 weeks old. Predators include most medium to larger sized carnivorous and omnivorous mammals that eat smaller mammals. [5]
The Norway lemming, also known as the Norwegian lemming (Lemmus lemmus) is a common species of lemming found in northern Fennoscandia, where it is the only vertebrate species endemic to the region. The Norway lemming dwells in tundra and fells , and prefers to live near water.
The southern bog lemming (Synaptomys cooperi) is a small North American lemming. Its range overlaps with the other species in genus Synaptomys , the northern bog lemming , in southeastern Canada , but extends farther south.
Collared lemming lying on ground. The northern collared lemming or Nearctic collared lemming (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus), sometimes called the Peary Land collared lemming in Canada, is a small lemming found in Arctic North America and Wrangel Island. At one time, it was considered to be a subspecies of the Arctic lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus).
These lemmings are found predominantly in tundra or high elevations. Populations can fluctuate widely and mass migrations do take place. This mass migration is probably the source of the myth that lemmings commit mass suicide. These intense population booms appear to be most common in the northern part of its range (such as Lapland).
Wood lemmings can be found in areas from southern Norway to Kamchatka (taiga area of Eurasia). [4] Their ideal habitat is a spruce forest with thick, copious moss cover. [ 6 ] Lemmings gravitate towards areas with abundant cover from predators, i.e., holes provided by decomposed trees, stumps, and mossy rock.