Environment
Fact-checked

At AllThingsNature, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What are Lemmings?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Lemmings are small Arctic rodents that, despite their tiny size, are able to survive the harsh winter weather without hibernating. They are most closely related to voles and muskrats, and share much in common with hamsters, and gerbils. There are actually numerous types of lemmings, most with dark brown or light brown and black colored fur. People compare them to chipmunks in appearance.

The average lemming is about one to four ounces (28.34-113.4) in weight. Body length can vary between two to six inches (5.08-15.24 cm). Like hamsters, they have very small tails, almost non-existent. Also like many rodents, they must chew constantly to keep their teeth, which continuously grow, at a reasonable size. Lemmings achieve this teeth-filing through their herbivorous diet, which is composed of grasses, and roots.

Man with a backpack
Man with a backpack

Since lemmings do not hibernate, they exhibit food-storing behavior. They save portions of the food they collect during the milder months to consume during winter. They’re also adept at burrowing into snow to get tender young grasses that are buried there, increasing their winter food supply.

Misconceptions about lemmings have existed for numbers of years. They reproduce at extremely quick rates, causing some people in Northern European countries, as far back as the 16th century, to believe lemmings simply were created out of air. While this myth has, of course, faded over time, lemmings have been condemned as stupid because of legends that exist about mass suicides.

Actually, lemmings do not commit mass suicide. When together yearly for migration, which is actually a short time, lemmings do occasionally fall off cliffs or get drowned, but not en masse. The urban legend surrounding lemming suicide arose from a documentary produced by Disney in 1958, White Wilderness. The film depicts an incidence of mass suicide by lemmings.

The filmmakers were completely responsible for the deaths of the lemmings filmed. They captured a few dozen, used “the magic of Disney” to make it seem like more, and then chased the lemmings off the cliff. Presented in “documentary” form, the lemmings mass suicide myth has persisted, despite considerable evidence to the contrary. Fortunately, in most cases, animal rights groups would not permit such an instance of animal cruelty to be perpetuated today.

Despite this bad and undeserved reputation of lemmings, they are rather enjoyed by people. They’re not likely to be encountered in mass groups, since they tend to live in solitary burrows, coming together only for mating and migration. Although not all states or countries permit it, some lemmings are kept as pets, where they’re compared in behavior to hamsters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly are lemmings?

Lemmings are small rodents, typically found in or near the Arctic, in tundra biomes. They are known for their round bodies, short legs, and stubby tails. Lemmings play a crucial role in the food chain, serving as prey for various predators. Their population size can fluctuate widely, leading to periodic mass migrations that have become a point of fascination and myth.

Do lemmings really commit mass suicide?

No, the notion that lemmings commit mass suicide is a myth. This misconception was popularized by staged footage in the 1958 Disney documentary "White Wilderness." In reality, lemmings may migrate in large groups when population pressure compels them to find new habitats, which can result in accidental deaths if they encounter bodies of water or other hazards, but it is not intentional suicide.

How do lemmings reproduce, and how fast do their populations grow?

Lemmings have a high reproductive rate, which can lead to rapid population growth under favorable conditions. They can breed throughout the year, with females producing several litters annually, each containing up to eight young. According to the Norwegian Polar Institute, a single pair of lemmings can theoretically produce a population of hundreds within a year under optimal conditions.

What do lemmings eat?

Lemmings are primarily herbivores, feeding on a variety of plant materials, including leaves, shoots, roots, and bulbs. During the winter, they burrow under the snow to find food, such as mosses and lichens. Their diet is crucial for their survival in the harsh Arctic environment, where food sources can be scarce, especially during the colder months.

How do lemmings affect their ecosystem?

Lemmings have a significant impact on their ecosystems. Their grazing influences plant community composition, and their burrowing activities aerate the soil. As a key prey species, they are vital for the survival of Arctic predators like snowy owls and Arctic foxes. Fluctuations in lemming populations can cause ripple effects throughout the food web, demonstrating their ecological importance.

Are lemmings endangered?

Lemmings are not currently classified as endangered. Their populations are known to undergo dramatic fluctuations, which is a natural part of their boom-and-bust life cycle. However, climate change poses a potential threat to their habitats, and scientists are monitoring how shifting weather patterns may affect lemming populations and, by extension, the Arctic ecosystem.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent AllThingsNature contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent AllThingsNature contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discuss this Article

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Man with a backpack
      Man with a backpack