Fun Lemming Facts For Kids

Lemming is a type of rodent that is found in the Arctic regions and the tundra. They are very small and have thick fur that helps them sustain the snow and the chill atmosphere.

Although portrayed by the infamous mass suicide committed by the lemmings in the movie 'White Wilderness,' lemmings do not commit mass suicide by jumping off cliffs at all. So lemmings jumping off cliffs is something that is largely a myth when associated with this species of animals.

They are not very intelligent animals as opposed to the other rodents. They can also swim in waters even in winters because of their build. They are normally found with white, gray, or brown fur.

Read on to discover more about the little mammals. If you enjoy this article, take a look at marsupial facts and dugong facts once you're done.

Lemming Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a lemming?

Lemmings are rodents who have a thick fur of brown or gray or white color. They are very small animals and are associated with the myth of jumping off cliffs. These species have several subspecies, such as the collared lemmings, the southern bog lemmings, the yellow steppe lemmings, the wood lemmings, bog lemmings, and the true lemmings, among others.

What class of animal does a lemming belong to?

A lemming belongs to the class of mammals. This can be defined by the thick fur on their bodies and their tendencies to give birth to young ones and not eggs.

How many lemmings are there in the world?

The lemmings’ population is currently very low considering their reproduction rates in the past. Where there were about 300 lemmings per every million square ft previously, now there is just one lemming per every million square ft.

Where does a lemming live?

A lemming can live in houses as pets or can be out in the wild in their natural habitat in the Arctic and the tundra regions. They are generally found in places like Norway, Alaska, northern Canada, among other such places that support a winter-like atmosphere.

What is a lemming's habitat?

Lemmings are generally found in the natural habitat of cold areas like in the tundra biome or Arctic regions. They form burrows in these areas to live.

Generally, these areas can be surrounded by oceans or seas which has given hype to the myth that the lemmings jump into the seas for mass suicide. Lemmings do not commit mass suicide, however.

Who do lemmings live with?

Lemmings are largely solitary beings. They prefer to live alone. However, when it comes to mating, it is the only time that two lemmings stay together.

How long does a lemming live?

A lemming can live for about one to three years. They have a rather shorter lifespan but it is on par with other rodents.

How do they reproduce?

Lemmings mate with the female partner in the breeding season. Often, they give birth to seven young lemmings. Lemmings reach an age of sexual maturity in about one month of their birth.

What is their conservation status?

Their conservation status is Near Threatened. The lemming populations can be very uncertain based on their mating responses.

In one go, lemmings can give birth to seven species of their kind. And the young lemmings are also capable of reproducing in a mere month after their birth. Therefore, their population counts have been erratic, and although they have decreased, they are not extinct.

Lemming Fun Facts

What do lemmings look like?

Lemmings are small rodents with brown or white or gray fur. Since they live in the Arctic region, they have a thick sheet of fur around their bodies. Their incisors are taller than other of their teeth which allows them to chew on stronger things and eat them.

How cute are they?

They look like rodents and have large incisors, and with all their fur, they can look very cute. Additionally, lemmings are also very small and this is also one of the reasons why they look so cute to people. Since they are so cute, they are also kept as pets by many people.

How do they communicate?

Although lemmings make loud noises when they see predators, they usually communicate with those of their species using scent marking techniques. It helps them talk to other lemmings. They can also squeak to talk to them.

How big is a lemming?

A lemming is about 100-135 mm in length which is about 8% the size of a small full-grown mouse.

How fast can a lemming run?

A lemming can run at a speed of about 3 mph. Collared lemmings can run up to 5 kmph.

How much does a lemming weigh?

Lemmings are small creatures and weigh only about 30-112 g. Their weight is small owing to their body size and structure.

What are their male and female names of the species?

Lemmings don’t have a separate nomenclature associated with them when it comes to gender. They are just called male and female lemming respectively.

What would you call a baby lemming?

A baby lemming doesn’t have a separate nomenclature associated with it and is simply called a baby lemming.

What do they eat?

Lemmus lemmus or lemmings can eat plant or plant-based foods. This is because they are herbivores. Even when their diet is not that nutritious, they eat a lot of food to sustain themselves. They eat a variety of things including shoots, berries, grass, leaves, roots, and others.

They don’t eat a lot of fruits because their bodies can’t process glucose. However, they are also hunted by many animals as food. Their predators include wolves, foxes, and owls that tend to feed on them.

Are they loud?

Lemmings can be very small creatures and easy prey to a lot of animals like wolves and foxes. However, they use a loud bark which is used to keep away from all predators. This behavior sets them apart from other rodents that don’t take many actions to save them from their predators.

Would they make a good pet?

Lemmings can make a great pet and can be domesticated pretty easily, just like other rodents. This is also one of the reasons why you see them as pets in various European countries, although their presence in America is seemingly limited.

Also, they have a specific diet that needs to be taken care of, without which their health can be put at stake.

Did you know...

Lemmings exhibit both diurnal and nocturnal behaviors. Therefore, they are known to be active through both the day and the night. They are very active species of rodents.

Also, you might be thinking, what is a lemming? You might’ve heard this word and have wondered about lemmings definition. Lemmings’ meaning in the English language states that a person with no individual choice or behavioral aspect of his own is known as a lemming. This can be because lemmings don’t portray intelligent behavior like other rodents.

Do lemmings really jump off cliffs?

No, lemmings don’t commit mass suicide by jumping off cliffs. There is a myth that talks about lemming jumping off cliffs. But it is not true.

Even when lemmings are not the most intelligent rodents, they don’t commit mass suicide. Even if they do jump off cliffs, they can swim in the oceans or seas. But regardless of what is projected through the various Disney films, like the 'White Wilderness,' lemmings don’t migrate by jumping off cliffs or commit mass suicide in this manner.

How many types of lemmings are there?

There are about 20 different species of lemmings. They are largely classified based on the area they live in and their other habits.

The various types of lemmings include the Norway lemming, wood lemming, steppe lemming, arctic lemming, north American brown lemming, northern collared lemming, Siberian brown lemming, southern bog lemming, muskrat,  bank vole, tundra vole, meadow vole, woodland vole, singing vole, Ungava collared lemming, red tree vole, Wrangel lemming, yellow steppe lemming, Richardson’s collared lemming, amur lemming.

These species range in about six genera.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including short-beaked echidna, or ring-tailed lemur.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Lemming coloring pages.