Northern Collared Lemming
From Freepedia
| Northern Collared Lemming | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Dicrostonyx groenlandicus (Traill, 1823) |
The Northern Collared Lemming, Dicrostonyx groenlandicus is a small North American lemming. At one time, they were considered to be a subspecies of the Arctic Lemming, Dicrostonyx torquatus. Some sources believe that several other species of Collared lemming found in North America are actually subspecies of the Northern Collared Lemming.
They have short chunky bodies covered with thick grey fur with a thin black stripe along their back and light grey underparts. They have small ears, short legs and a very short tail. They have a pale brown collar across their chest. In winter, they are covered with white fur and they develop enlarged digging claws on their front feet. They are 14 cm long with a 1.5 cm tail and weigh about 40 g.
These animals are found in the tundra of northern Canada, Alaska and Greenland. They feed on grasses, sedges and other green vegetation in summer and twigs of willow, aspen and birches in winter. Predators include owls, gulls, mustelids, Arctic Foxes and Polar Bears.
Female lemmings have 2 or 3 litters of 4 to 8 young in a year. The young are born in a nest in an underground burrow or concealed in vegetation.
They are active year round, day and night. They make runways through the surface vegetation and also dig underground burrows above the permafrost. They burrow under the snow in winter. Lemming populations go through a 3 or 4 year cycle of boom and bust. When their population peaks, lemmings disperse from overcrowded areas.
