Lemmings, where there a several different species, are rodents that are like voles and hamsters, and live in the far north of Europe, being the arctic tundra. The best known species is the Norwegian lemming. The small creatures are similar in habit to the European voles. In the mountains of Norway they are found right up to the permanent snow link and are quite common in the moss and lichen zone, where they use the plants for food and burrows. They like moist, stony soil where there is a ground cover of lichens and other plants. Here they establish an extensive network of runs and open tunnels which criss-cross their territory in all directions. Lemmings do not hibernate; instead they remain active through the winter, digging long tunnels under the snow to enable them to continue foraging.

The burrows are for the females to give birth and take care of their young. They gestate from 13 to 21 days and they usually have 4 to 15 young. Since the gestation period is so short, they can have several litters each years. After 11 days, their eyes open and they suckle for 14 to 19 days. Then they leave the burrow to find their own territory. They are sexually mature at 4 months and they live only for 2 years, so the females try to have as many litters as she can. They do not stop breeding even in winter.

As with other species of rodent, lemmings are subject to drastic fluctuations in population. Scientists are not sure why this happens, but it’s probably something to do with the weather. It’s great for the predators of the lemming, like eagles, foxes, wolves, owls, and other animals, but when the populations rise, there is less food and hordes of lemmings leave their territory, with no definite goal. In bad years, millions of the creatures jump into the rivers and fjords attempting to cross the other side but drown.

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