The Lemming

[betplom]

Lemmings look like fat furry hamsters. They have strong legs and claws for digging.
Thick fur helps to keep them warm.

Lemmings are small rodents, usually found in or near the Arctic, in tundra biomes. They are subniveal animals and together with the voles and muskrats, they make up the subfamily Arvicolinae (also known as Microtinae), which forms part of the largest mammal radiation by far, the superfamily Muroidea, which also includes the rats, mice, hamsters, and gerbils.

[betplom]

Lemmings live in the treeless areas of Northern Canada.

[AMBlai01]

Aren't these the things that follow each other and kill themselves?...they all jump off cliffs and such.

[accuscoresucks]

just go buy a cat

[betplom]

Aren't these the things that follow each other and kill themselves?...they all jump off cliffs and such.

Ahhh, I'm so glad you mentioned this, Amby that is a fallacy, there is no truth to it whatsoever, lemmings committing mass suicide by jumping off of cliffs? 100% MYTH!

[betplom]

Myths and misconceptions

While many people believe that lemmings commit mass suicide when they migrate, this is not the case.

Driven by strong biological urges, they will migrate in large groups when population density becomes too great.

Lemmings can and do swim and may choose to cross a body of water in search of a new habitat.

On occasion, and particularly in the case of the Norway lemmings in Scandinavia, large migrating groups will reach a cliff overlooking the ocean.

They will stop until the urge to press on causes them to jump off the cliff and start swimming, sometimes to exhaustion and death.

Lemmings are also often pushed into the sea as more and more lemmings arrive at the shore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemming

[AMBlai01]

Very Interesting... Thanks Plommer! I am glad to find out the facts about Lemmings!

[Chi_archie]

nice
I feel better now

[betplom]

Enemies

Lemmings are eaten by many animals. The ermine (weasel), Arctic fox , Snowy Owl, wolf and wolverine are just some of their enemies.

Arctic foxes can sniff out lemmings in their burrows under the snow.

Ermine (weasels) can fit down the lemmings' burrows. They chase the lemmings into their burrows and kill them by biting their necks.

When there are fewer lemmings, there are fewer predators (animals that hunt lemmings for food).

[Willie Bee]

Plom, serious question. The northern-most point I've been to in Canada is Red Deer/Sylvan Lake. Is the 'treeless Northern Canada' simply the Northwest Territory or does it start around Edmonton?

[betplom]

Plom, serious question. The northern-most point I've been to in Canada is Red Deer/Sylvan Lake. Is the 'treeless Northern Canada' simply the Northwest Territory or does it start around Edmonton?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_line

Actually Willie, you were nowhere near the "tree line".

The tree line is in the Arctic. Much further north in the Northwest Territories/Yukon/Alaska.



Arctic tree line The furthest north in the Northern Hemisphere that trees can grow; further north, it is too cold to sustain trees.

Extremely cold temperatures can result in freezing of the internal sap of trees, killing those trees. In addition, permafrost in the soil can prevent trees from getting their roots deep enough for the necessary structural support.

The tree line is the northern point in the environment at which trees can no longer grow.

[Willie Bee]

Well damn, I was way off. Just recall going a little north of Red Deer one day and there weren't a lot of trees. Thanks.

[BestPlay2day]

Good stuff BetPlom! Learned something new today thanks to you!

[betplom]

Well damn, I was way off. Just recall going a little north of Red Deer one day and there weren't a lot of trees. Thanks.

Alberta is like that, so is Saskatchewan, flat & dry and without alot of trees.

Now if you were in British Columbia, you'd have trees as far as you could see, all the way to Alaska, and they have some big ass trees in BC, the trees in Texas look like twigs compared to the monsters growing in British Colombia. BC has a coastal rainforest and gets alot of precipitation.

Good stuff BetPlom! Learned something new today thanks to you!

You are welcome, sir.

[Willie Bee]

I did see some of those trees around Vancouver I guess, out on Orcas and Penders Island there are some big 'uns as well. Hey, I did a search on 'treeless canada' and twice it pegged some little island in the middle of Great Bear Lake. Is there actually a town called Treeless? We've got a Notrees, Texas, that lives true to its name.

[betplom]

I did see some of those trees around Vancouver I guess, out on Orcas and Penders Island there are some big 'uns as well. Hey, I did a search on 'treeless canada' and twice it pegged some little island in the middle of Great Bear Lake. Is there actually a town called Treeless? We've got a Notrees, Texas, that lives true to its name.

Not aware of anyplace named Treeless, but I have been to Nosex, Utah on my way to Vegas years ago, it wasn't a fun place, and surprisingly I didn't get laid.

[pico]

how does lemmings taste?

[betplom]

how does lemmings taste?

They are great in Lemming meringue pie.

[Casperwaits]

4 little known facts about Lemmings

1. They are fearless, except of Richard Gere.
2. (for Pico) Lemmings taste like chicken
3. Lemmings play the role of the gopher in the remake of "Caddyshack-Canada"
4. Their strong claws and upper body make them the favorite to win the SBR pull up challenge

[betplom]

bump

bump

[AMBlai01]

Plommer..couldnt come up with a new thread, had to bump this one? I want new info on a new animal!

[smitch124]

Man, it too early for reruns!! It's not even spring yet, wtf?

[madmaxx]