Lemmings And The Myths Essay Research Paper

Lemmings And The Myths Essay, Research Paper

Adam Rodney . Lemmings-

This paper explores the truth and fiction surrounding one of the natural kingdom.s strangest citizens; the lemming. The subject of countless studies, stories and legend, this paper will attempt to separate fact from fiction, truth from legend, and give an in depth view of lemmings in general and in particular the Norwegian lemming.

First off, what is a lemming. To those who are not naturalist, field biologist, or zoologist, the animal seems indistinguishable from the pet store guinea pig, a chubby hamster, a small tailless nutria or some other common southern rodent.

.It’s a plump little rodent that looks like a mouse. But it’s not. It’s more closely related to voles and muskrats. It has thick fur, short legs, tiny ears, a stubby tail and black button eyes. It’s four to five inches long and grayish brown or reddish brown.. (Phil Myers, associate professor of zoology and associate curator of mammals, Email, University of Michigan)

.Some lemmings like the Collared lemming Dicrostonyx, have a rather obscure grayish brown coat, but other species are more colorful. The Norway lemming, for example is boldly pattered with a black head and a large black patch on the back on a yellowish-brown background, while the smaller Wood lemming is slate gray with a streak of rust- red on the back.. (Macdonald, D. W. 1984. The encyclopedia of mammals. Facts on File Inc. New York. Pp. 650-657. )

.All lemmings have strong claws by which they dig tunnels amongst the roots of the tundra heaths and grasses. Lemmings have very angular skulls to accommodate especially powerful muscles of mastication and like their relatives the voles, their teeth keep growing keep growing throughout life to compensate for the heavy wear resulting from the staple diet of tough vegetation..

.Lemmings can be found through out the arctic tundra, although a few species extend south in to the coniferous forest zone in both America and Eurasia.. (Macdonald, D. W. 1984. The encyclopedia of mammals. Facts on File Inc. New York. Pp. 650-657. )

According to the Canadian wildlife service 11 different species of lemming are found throughout North America, North Asia and Northern Europe. Of the eleven species the Norwegian lemming is clearly the best known for its striking natural behavior.

The misunderstanding of its odd migratory behavior has given the Norwegian Lemming a false reputation for being an angry, suicidal creature who shows no respect for its own life. This is a rodent linked in our minds with mass suicides and one of the main aims here is to put the Norwegian lemming.s story into perspective.

The Norwegian lemming can be found in ranges across Sweden, Finland, Scandinavia, and northwest Russia.

.The Norwegian lemming lives at 2,500-3,000 ft above sea level. In the summer the Norway lemming will occupy moist stony ground partly covered by sedges, willow shrubs and dwarf birch..(Dr. Maurice Burton: Lemmings. Wildlife Encyclopedia, volume (10): 1301-1302)

Besides the strange migrations the norwiegen lemming possesses a number of unique adaptations to survive in the harsh atmosphere of the Arctic Circle.

. Most mammals have to increase heat production to maintain their body heat when temperatures fall below freezing but the Norwegian lemmings do not do so until the temperature reaches .12°C.. (Robin Dunbar: Mammals. Remarkable Animals, Volume (1): p40)

During the endless winter months lemmings must physically change in order to survive.

. To reduce heat loss as much as possible, the Norwegian lemming grows a long winter coat that traps a layer of air in the under fur.. (The Biology of Lemmings, edited by N.C. Stenseth and R.A. Ims, Academic Press, London, 1993)

.It also develops two paculiar, enlarged, forked claws on the front feet, well adapted for digging in frozen snow.. (Macdonald, D. W. 1984. The encyclopedia of mammals. Facts on File Inc. New York. Pp. 650-657. )

They use these claws to build homes under the snow in the winter.

.In winter they usually live under snow, protected from cold and from enemies, building rounded nests of grass that keep the moisture out of the dens. They make extensive tunnels under the snow.. (Marsden, W. 1964. The lemming year. Chatto and Windus. London, U.K.)

Like all lemmings the Norwegian lemming is a herbivore. It survives off the small plants that grow in the Arctic.

“Because their food is lichens, mosses, and grasses the brutal wintry conditions do not interrupt their feeding and therefore continue to breed.. (Dr. Maurice Burton: Lemmings. Wildlife Encyclopedia, volume (10): 1301-1302)

Because of that yearly supply of food the lemming has almost unlimited breeding capabilities.

.Breeding can occur at all seasons, lemmings sometimes breed in the winter, but there is always a pause in spring and fall separating summer and winter breeding. How such a small mammal, already under a severe thermal stress, can muster enough energy to breed in an arctic winter, and what factors determine when winter breeding will occur, are still mysteries.. (Elton, C. 1942. Voles, mice and lemmings. Oxford. London. )

The lemming is one of the fastest breeders in the animal kingdom.

During the practically year round bree

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