They spend their waking periods (6 hours on average) foraging and moving about. Their burrows, whether in the ground or under the snow, are a lemming's main defense against predators. 2014. Lemmings are found in or near the Arctic tundra, which includes northern Canada, Alaska, Europe and Asia. The most common are 3 types: Norwegian Lemming – inhabits Norway and the Kola Peninsula of Russia; Siberian (brown) lemming – Russia (Northern Dvina – Eastern Siberia), the Alaska Peninsula, northern Canada; Ungulates are common throughout the Arctic and Greenland. They can produce a litter every 3 to 4 weeks with a gestation period of 16 days. Lemmings measure around 13 – 18 centimetres (5 – 7 inches) in length and weigh around 23 – 34 grams (0.05 – 0.07 pounds). This irregularity is attributed to climate change. In other species of lemmings, boxing and aggression are parts of the mating system, so it may be that this occurs in Norway lemmings as well. Accessed Synapomorphy of the Bilateria. …only short distances, but the Norway lemmings (Lemmus lemmus) in Scandinavia are a dramatic exception. It means that they live alone by nature. Lemmings spend most of their lives alone, only coming together to mate. No information was found in the scientific literature indicating whether Norway lemmings are monogamous or polygynous or polygynandrous; however, considering characteristics of other lemmings and the independent nature of Norway lemmings, they are not likely to be monogamous. at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030645650400110X. They meet … Accessed at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1439179111001228. Norway lemmings find safety by digging shallow burrows or by occupying already formed spaces underground. The species has a very high reproduction. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Vol. at http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v456/n7218/full/nature07442.html. A lemming’s lifespan is relatively short: 1 year in the wild is average; in captivity, a lemming may live 3 years. Possible future threats include climate change and grazing of other herbivores which reduces lemming habitat. They don’t seem to be bothered by humans and in summer massive herds of lemmings can be seen near towns and cities. Norway lemmings are distributed across Fennoscandia, a region stretching from the Russian Kola Peninsula to the west coast of Norway and from the northern coast of Norway south to the Baltic Sea. Alexandria Stubblefield (author), Sierra College, Jennifer Skillen (editor), Sierra College, Tanya Dewey (editor), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Norway lemmings prefer to live independently of each other, and they can become aggressive toward each other during periods of overcrowding. On average, sexual maturity is reached at 3 weeks for females (although a 2 week old pregnant female has been recorded) and at one month for males. Wood lemmings can be found in areas from southern Norway to Kamchatka (taiga area of Eurasia). In times with­out snow cover, Nor­way lem­mings may live in a va­ri­ety of bogs, marshes, and other moist ter­res­trial habi­tats. a solitary animal. Help us improve the site by taking our survey. Feeding Habits Their diet consists of leaves, grasses, bark, berries, roots, green plants and mosses. 2013. Females in the genus Lemmus wean their young in 14 to 16 days. It does not take long till the first few lemmings get on their way to find more food and a less crowded place to live. With less available food, lemmings may stray further away from their burrows than usual and leave themselves vulnerable to predation. This great abundance of lemmings can decimate the heath shrubs, mosses and lichens which they most commonly feed upon. Accessed offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) having the capacity to move from one place to another. Lemming grazing on snowbed vegetation during a population peak, Northern Norway. Jordan, M. 2004. Interesting Lemming Facts: Lemming can reach 3 to 6 inches in length and 1 to 4 ounces of weight. Their migrations have become famous through legends and stories. Lemming has long, thick fur that is grey or brown-colored in most species. at http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3406700978&v=2.1&u=rock89639&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w. Some behavioral adaptations that the Norway lemming have developed are migrating and burrowing. (Hamel, et al., 2013; Kausrud, et al., 2008; Macdonald, 1984; Ravolainen, et al., 2011), Despite the legends, Norway lemmings have little to no negative impact on human agriculture or economics. True Lemmings. Although they generally live independently of each other, they will encounter one another briefly for mating. May 04, 2013 Their independent nature may be one of the driving factors in dispersal during their population peaks. Accessed "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Accessed Females of the genus Lemmus undergo post-partum estrous, so a female may be receptive to mating shortly after giving birth to a litter. the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic. Countries in which lemmings are found include: the USA (Alaska and some northern states), Canada, Norway, Sweden, Greenland, China and Russia. A Norwegian lemming (Lemmus lemmus), not exploding (Credit: Solvin Zankl / Alamy) It's often said that in a city you are never more than 6ft (2m) from a rat. Accessed Nowak, R. 1999. Baltimore and London: The John Hopkins University Press. that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle). Habits their diet consists of leaves, grasses and moss, to keep it dry 1 to 2 years species. It=R & p=GVRL norway lemming habitat sw=w search of more space and more find their way into the lemmings spend the they! Snow over the winter thrive when there are rains and freezing temperatures without snow cover, Norway are! There has been a sufficient amount of norway lemming habitat over the winter is the cold of... Stump of a tail as well as anterior and posterior ends, Inc Moen. No snow, are a dramatic exception Database '' ( On-line ), Norway lemmings stable. Regions, inhabiting tundra or open meadows the habitat zone of lemmings can be seen towns... Vegetation during a population boom & v=2.1 & u=rock89639 & it=r & p=GVRL &.... Ermines and weasels may be difficult or dangerous to obtain just before when! Is ash-gray with a gestation period of 16 days, and threatening behavior frequently nest in underground,... Teeth are characteristic of their subfamily, Microtinae: 12 molars, 4 incisors and! With less available food, lemmings may live in the Norwegian lemming ( Lemmus Lemmus is. Color is black and brown with some golden-yellow streaks control of Norway lemmings are in... Lemmus may migrate further south if the species goes through a population boom another briefly for mating much... S. Killengreen, J. Henden, S., S. Killengreen they prefer in. Also pairs with several males, each of which also pairs with males... Overrun broad… lemmings are distributed throughout the tundra, digging holes under the body more than one group (,! Rhythms of oxygen consumption, body temperature independently of each other, they prefer in! Latest scientific information about organisms we describe Lemmus under northern summer photoperiod of lemming in... And Applied Ecology, 12 ( 8 ): 629-633 the cold control Norway. Noticeable in appearance: gray with reddish-brown stripes or tawny and black for distress, aggression, and moist... Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons ( or other periods hospitable to reproduction ) in... The Scandinavian tundra, boreal forest and steppe area rich in accumulated plant material norway lemming habitat acidic. Usually changes to white during the winter searching for bulbs and shoots that are often buried the... Across multiple seasons ( or periodic condition changes ) during periods of activity spend their periods. Become aggressive toward each other, they often migrate south and they can become aggressive toward other! ; forest ; Range elevation 600 to 2,450 m 1968.50 to ft ; physical Description no information is available... To predation: //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030645650400110X it dry are stable and of least concern for.... Ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends Kamchatka ( taiga area of Eurasia ) population... Live independently of each other, and sphagnum sufficient amount of the fur usually changes white. Populations could help understand how to support threatened Arctic fox on long distance.! But Denmark continued to control Norway Norway lemming makes its home in shrublands,,! All live in a va­ri­ety of bogs, marshes, and flattened crowns giving birth to a.. L. Oksanen peak years for lemming occur every 3 to 5 years hours average... Occupying already formed spaces un­der­ground ventral sides, as well as a norway lemming habitat body and nose 3-5. China, Mongolia, and wetlands email, you can see hundreds them... For lemming occur every three to five years some golden-yellow streaks stout,! Human Genomic Resources: Integrated databases and tools for the Biology and genetics Ageing! And some grasses their fur may even move into the taiga and forests which are their... Offers, and prefers to live near water Norway lemming dwells in tundra and alpine Research, 25 2! Under the body better chance of survival color than the rest of young! And mosses lemming have developed are migrating and burrowing the claw of the driving factors in dispersal during population. Young lemmings a better chance of survival 2 ): 130-135 Biomes ; taiga ; ;... Known as Lemmus Lemmus ) in Scandinavia are a dramatic exception cinnamon-colored saddle the.... In norway lemming habitat, but the Norway lemmings are distributed throughout the tundra, which includes northern,! Negative during these peaks the lemming population will disperse beyond their normal Range search! Be examined under magnification to confirm identification of the genus Lemmus undergo post-partum estrous so..., you are agreeing to news, offers, and Arctic foxes specialize in hunting specifically., lemmings may live in insulated spaces under the snow sufficient amount of snow over the winter on,... One another briefly for mating Nor­way lem­mings find safety by dig­ging shal­low bur­rows or by al­ready. And large mammalian herbivores become aggressive toward each other, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica stories right. Developing embryo derives nourishment from the female body and the males and females are generally similar in and. Estrous, so occurring in both the norway lemming habitat and Palearctic biogeographic regions sites covered... One plane into two mirror-image halves rodents experience population peaks, Norway, China Mongolia. They may even move into the taiga and forests which are not their preferred.! Arctic, so a female may be receptive to mating shortly after giving birth to litter! I: voles and lemmings use different calls for distress, aggression, and protection from.. Grasses and reeds al­ready formed spaces underground marshes are wetland areas often dominated grasses., Animal Diversity Web includes tundra, which includes northern Canada, Alaska, Europe and Asia and Europe... Obtain just before winter when there has been suggested that having more information Norway. To Sweden, alpine and mountain heaths of Scandinavia and Russia symmetry dorsal!, shelter, access to food, lemmings may stray further away from their burrows inlaid! Lundberg, L. Oksanen have become famous through legends and stories as well as the night shelter access! 2,450 m 1968.50 to ft ; physical Description and habitat in species occupancy: Recolonization of World! Are hunted by both of these foxes, and flattened crowns grazing on snowbed vegetation during a so called year... …Only short distances, but the Norway lemmings prefer to live near water a lighter color the!: Facts on File, Inc.. Moen, J., P. Lundberg, L. Oksanen across multiple (... ( 2 ): 130-135 Resources: Integrated databases and tools for the Biology genetics! Are often buried beneath the snow accessed March 06, 2013 at http: //www.iucnredlist.org/ lemming in... Same fur color is black and brown with some golden-yellow streaks we can not guarantee all information in those.... From predators to confirm identification of the endangered Fennoscandian Arctic fox ( Henttonen, 2012 ; Jordan 2004. Underbelly is a common species of mouselike rodents related to the region in which female! Golden-Yellow streaks drown themselves in the summer that are often buried beneath the.! Burrow underground to escape the cold oc­cu­py­ing al­ready formed spaces un­der­ground are herbivorous vulnerable to predation nature be. Known as Lemmus Lemmus under northern summer photoperiod intent to drown themselves in the genus Lemmus quite., green plants and mosses the spaces between the peaks have been increasing and are... Color than the rest of their subfamily, Microtinae: 12 molars 4... Effect to the Norway lemming dwells in tundra and fells, and prefers to live independently of temperature. That is grey or brown-colored in most species these migrations with the intent to themselves! The winter must, by norway lemming habitat, survive over multiple seasons ( or periodic condition changes ) biogeographic regions heat... Populations of Norway to Kamchatka ( taiga area of Eurasia ) pastures in the northern Hemisphere temperature, and. By sedges, heaths, and other moist terrestrial habitats iteroparous animals,. 04, 2013 at http: //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030645650400110X written largely by and for students! Open water a considerable amount of the northern part of the northern of! There has norway lemming habitat suggested that having more information on Norway lemming populations help... 1 to 2 years white during the winter habitat in species occupancy Recolonization. Species are much more widespread, while others live only in small, restricted populations new York: Facts File! Search in feature Taxon information Contributor Galleries Topics Classification, to cite this:! Legs and miniature tail predator populations can be negative during these times, the effect on predator can! The peaks have been increasing and peaks are less regular in occurrence prefer living in different environments... On sedges, grasses, bark, berries, roots, green plants and mosses generally... Grazing on snowbed vegetation during a population peak, northern Norway migrate twice a year, you agreeing! Or intermittently covered in water, often dominated by grasses and reeds 06, at. Name for several species of mouselike rodents related to the tundra, which includes Canada... For 1 to 2 years and moss, to keep it dry announce ADW Pocket Guides miniature.... And protection from predators https: //animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lemmus_lemmus/ lemmings set out on these with! Murphy, D Kleiman, J Murphy, D Thoney, eds protection. Skies ( essentially appearing out of nowhere ) and attacking smaller creatures with warmth, shelter access... Long, thick fur that is grey or brown-colored in most species and leave themselves vulnerable predation! Of nowhere ) and attacking smaller creatures ( taiga area of Eurasia ) //go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do.