Mass Suicides - Lemmings October 19th, 2013

Thousands of these tiny animals simultaneously rush in search of food. Many peoples consider the lemming a mystical animal, because in winter its claws take the form of hooves, and its hair turns white. In other words, during the full moon, lemmings become werewolves and drink wolf blood.

Superstitious people are sure: the howling lemming on the top of the date palm on the new moon “howls” about great sorrow. A lot of speculation in a person is caused by “lemming suicides”. Note that the topic of lemming mass suicide was even touched upon in a children's book, where a young lemming tried to find an answer to main question: Why do lemmings always throw themselves off a cliff?

Sometimes the mass suicides of lemmings are associated with their sacrifice to the inhabitants of other worlds. Scientists explain such "suicides" of rodents as follows: during mass migrations, when lemmings actively breed and migrate in search of food, they often run into the sea, river or other water barrier, but can no longer stop and die. By the way, not all lemmings die, but only the “pioneers”.

The mass movement of lemmings is by no means a senseless suicide - it is a throw for food, sometimes ending tragically. The resulting decline in the lemming population helps maintain the delicate balance that has been established between the various animals in the Arctic ecosystem.

There are three types of lemmings: the Norwegian lemming is found in Norway and some regions of Russia; Siberian, or brown lemming lives in Russia, Alaska and Canada; the hoofed lemming is very widespread throughout the Arctic, including Greenland. Lemmings are touching furry animals, about 13 cm high. They are mostly brown in color, although the Norwegian lemming is characterized by darker spots on the head and back. The hoofed lemming changes its skin from brown to white in winter, which makes it invisible in the snow.

These small rodents spend the winter under the snow, nestling in gaps formed by the steam rising from the warm earth after being covered with cold snow. Where there are no gaps, lemmings break through their own tunnels and live and breed in this warmth. underworld. A female can produce up to six litters of five to six babies each year, which means she can have up to 36 babies in a year. Young females may bring their first litter at only two to three months of age, so a female born in March may have grandchildren by September. The number of lemmings born depends on the amount of food and the weather. When the snow begins to melt, the lemmings are forced to come to the surface in search of food. The scarcity of vegetation limits their number, but once every three or four years, with an abundance of food, the growth of the lemming population gives an outbreak.

The Arctic tundra is unable to support the colossal population of lemmings, and the tiny animals are forced to frantically search for food. They begin to eat even poisonous plants, and at times become aggressive and attack larger animals. In a desperate quest to find food, lemmings make massive migrations. Thousands of tiny rodents rush through the tundra in a fluffy wave in search of new territories. Wolves, foxes and even fish swallow this easy prey, which does not even try to escape. When lemmings run into a river or sea on their way, the front animals cannot stop, because they are pushed from behind. They try to swim, but almost all die.

The abundance of lemmings also increases the population of predators that feed on them, including arctic fox, ermine, snowy owl and others. birds of prey. When the population of lemmings is low, these birds and animals have to look for other prey. The snowy owl does not even lay eggs if there are not enough lemmings to feed the chicks, and gray foxes leave the tundra and go hunting in the endless forests to the south. Thus, life cycle many polar animals depend on it little rodent, which emphasizes the fragility of the balance between prey and predator in the realm of the icy north.

In Russia, the Norwegian, Siberian (or Ob) and ungulate lemmings are widely represented; the latter inhabits the mountain tundra. The ungulate lemming turns white in the winter, and the claws of its front paws grow strongly, merging with their bases and forming something like sharp hooves. With them, lemmings tear through the snow in search of food and when building winter nests.

Lemmings have mastered the tundra everywhere. The paths trodden by them plow the surface of the earth literally in all directions and lead to where there is any vegetation: growths of dwarf willows and birches, bushes of flowering grasses, moss pillows and lichen rugs. eating various parts plants, lemmings observe a certain regime, strictly alternating food intake with sleep: they feed for an hour, sleep for 2 hours, feed again for an hour and sleep again for 2 hours. And so all day.

Lemmings are rather vicious animals that do not tolerate the presence of their own kind. They make shallow burrows at some distance from other burrows and often get into fights with their neighbors. When meeting a person or animal, they behave aggressively: they jump in their direction, rise on their hind legs, grab an outstretched stick with their teeth, whistle and squawk piercingly. However, this behavior does not save them from the numerous predatory inhabitants of the tundra, for whom lemmings are one of the main food items.

In winter, lemmings make tunnels under the snow, looking for shoots, fruits and seeds of evergreens. Under dense snow cover, they have not only food, but also reliable protection from blizzards and frosts, so they do not hibernate and can even breed.

Usually, during the year, females twice bring 5-6 cubs in each litter, but with the onset of favorable weather conditions and the availability of food, their fertility increases dramatically (females give birth to 8-10 sucklings three times a year), and therefore the total number of animals increases exorbitantly. In such years, the whole tundra is teeming with lemmings, their minks come across at every turn. As a result, vegetation, eaten by many animals, begins to disappear rapidly, famine sets in, epizootics appear among animals weakened from malnutrition, there is not enough space for new generations to settle. Many animals fall prey to various predators (white owls, skuas, gulls, arctic foxes, etc.), which take advantage of the increased opportunity to profit from numerous prey. Finally, the moment comes when there is a mass migration of lemmings (emigration). Mostly the young, together with a part of the old pieds, leave their native places and rush uncontrollably in some direction.

At first they go alone at some distance from each other, and then, having reached some obstacle (rivers, lakes, cliffs), they form clusters. The resulting avalanche of living bodies continues to move in the same direction, overcoming all obstacles on the way: the animals move over settlements, streams and rivers, rocky ledges, etc. Having reached the seashore, lemmings rush into the water and swim until they drown far from land. The corpses of dead rodents in the water are eaten by seagulls, predatory fish, octopuses. On land, moving lemmings are hunted by arctic foxes, foxes, owls, buzzards and even sled dogs, and sometimes they are eaten reindeer. As a result, the number of these animals is greatly reduced, and next year they become rare. In the future, the number of lemmings reaches the usual level, which then persists until a new outbreak of mass reproduction.

Thus, in the life of lemmings, a natural regulation of their numbers periodically takes place in accordance with the specific opportunities for feeding the entire population of these rodents.

Speaking of population lemmings, it is constantly changing. For example, once every three to five years, the number of these animals increases dramatically, they show aggressiveness and are absolutely not afraid of people. In other years, on the contrary, it is rare to meet lemmings and the thought of their extinction involuntarily arises, although this is far from being the case.

Pay attention to an interesting fact: the so-called "lemming years" almost always indicate an increase in the population of bank voles in the forests and ungulate lemmings. About once every thirty or forty years there are real outbreaks of the growth of the population of animals, which often leads to their mass migrations in search of food.

In fact, lemmings can be called selfish, who only care about themselves. As a rule, the behavior of these rodents towards each other is often aggressive, and their famous mass migrations are an optical illusion, since each animal moves alone. The only exception is considered to be external obstacles that encourage lemmings to rally and work together to overcome the obstacle that has arisen.

The only person who definitely doesn’t need energy drinks is lemmings. The activity of these rodents can only be envied, because they are full of energy. all day long! As a rule, the main "diet" of a lemming consists of pasture - the bark of shrubs, reindeer moss, mushrooms, moss, cereals, sedge and others. herbaceous plants. Lemmings also do not disdain berries, insects and discarded deer antlers, which are completely gnawed.

Dense snow in the last winter months often forces lemmings to get to the surface and actively look for food. On the one hand, such a small animal is unlikely to cause fear in humans, but some people are still wary of lemmings. Panic moods are caused by a number of rumors, according to which hungry lemmings practically destroyed the town of N, and the grass never grew on the road they trodden.

Lemmings belong to the rodent family. Outwardly, the animal strongly resembles a small hamster, has short ears and a small tail. The length of the animal does not exceed 15 cm, and it weighs no more than 80 grams. The coat of a lemming is usually a plain gray or brown hue. Sometimes there are representatives with light patches. In nature, there are several varieties of animals and some of them become white in winter.

Behavioral Features

Lemmings - Interesting Facts about the characteristics of behavior. The main habitat of animals is considered to be the tundra and forest tundra. North America. Some species of lemmings live in Eurasia, on the territory of the islands of the Arctic Ocean. The dense undercoat allows the animal to feel comfortable in the northern regions.

Lemmings are considered loners, they do not tend to live in a flock. Scientists often call such animals selfish, since they never live in colonies and only care about themselves. They try to make minks at a considerable distance from each other and do not get along well with other representatives of the animal world. When meeting with a person, lemmings express their displeasure by standing on their hind legs, while he begins to make piercing sounds. You should not tempt fate and approach the animal at such a moment, since with a high degree of probability the lemming will bite. Despite such militancy, the animals are not able to protect themselves from serious predators. The main danger for them is stoats and owls.

Animals love to eat food of plant origin. The best delicacy for them are young shoots of trees and shrubs, fresh grass, moss, berries. In search of a source of energy, they do not disdain deer antlers, which they can completely gnaw. Lemmings will not refuse delicacies in the form of insects. The little animal is very gluttonous. In one day, he is able to eat food twice his own weight. Because of this feature, lemmings cannot constantly live in one place, and they are forced to constantly move in search of food. The love of travel is inherent in them by nature, so they are not at all afraid of various obstacles in the form of reservoirs or human settlements. Often their negligence leads to death, many animals die every year under the wheels of cars.

In winter, the claws of the animal turn into a kind of hooves.

This is a very brave animal, it can attack a person, a dog and even a cat (defending itself). Apparently, the harsh conditions of the north hardened this small rodent.

kids

Lemmings are highly fertile. Even low temperatures are not a hindrance to reproduction, so females bring offspring even in winter. During the year she gives birth twice, bringing 5 or 6 cubs. If there is no shortage of food, then the female can bring offspring 3 times a year, and the number of cubs can reach ten.

To raise babies, adult lemmings make huge settlements, and for their babies they build grass nests. After two weeks of life, little lemmings become completely independent. At the age of two months, they become adults and are able to bear offspring. Average duration the animal is 2 years old.

Often, scientists cannot determine whether lemmings really live in a particular area, and it is almost impossible to calculate their number. The fact is that the animal is very cautious and almost never leaves its shelter during the day. At night, it is also not easy to detect it, since it never goes out into open areas, it constantly hides among moss and stones.

Approximately every 30 years, an increase in the animal population is observed. With a strong increase in the number of lemmings in one area, their very unusual behavior is observed. Animals begin mass migration to the south towards the sea. When they reach the water, they swim away from the shore and often drown. Today, scientists have not been able to find an explanation for this phenomenon. Perhaps the animals just want to move forward. Encountering an obstacle in the form of the sea on the way, the animals simply do not want to stop, but they cannot overcome it either.

Lemmings are small animals similar to mice, the size of which reaches 10-13 cm. They have a variegated coat, sometimes with gray-brown stains.

The appearance of lemmings is very funny: having eaten enough, they noticeably get fat. In winter, their coat acquires a light color.

These animals are very voracious; in a day, an adult lemming eats twice as much as it weighs itself. Usually they feed all day, sometimes at night, destroying about 50 kilograms of vegetation per year.

Description of lemmings

There are small animals in the Arctic that have adapted to the harsh conditions of the Arctic and seem to feel quite comfortable - these are lemmings. Many Russians do not even know who they are, because in middle lane They almost never meet in Russia. Lemmings are small rodents from the hamster family. Outwardly, they resemble mice, although these are their very distant relatives.

Despite the cute appearance, these animals often show aggression, even towards their relatives. They like to dig separate minks, for which they can even fight with uninvited guests. By the way, having seen a person, lemmings, even having a very small size, contrary to logic, they are not afraid, but begin to defend their territory. In the order of things - to hiss, and in some cases, to rush.

Habitat and lifestyle

Lemmings live in the arctic and subarctic tundra, ranging from east coast White Sea in the west and to the Bering Strait in the east - the northern regions of America, the islands of the Arctic Ocean, Franz Josef Land, on the Taimyr Peninsula. They prefer moss tundra, where dwarf birch and willow grow, stony tundra, slopes of watersheds, marshy peat and sedge-hummocky places, except for lichen tundra.

Lemmings lead active image life all year round. They are herbivorous, feeding on various berries, shoots, roots and grains, and at the same time they themselves are food for polar foxes, as well as for arctic foxes, buzzards and especially snowy owls, which prefer lemmings to any other prey.

Lemmings are solitary animals. Individual individuals secure certain areas for themselves and protect them from neighbors of their relatives. During periods of large livestock are a real disaster for Agriculture northern regions. They make seasonal raids on pastures, where they eat away sedges, mosses, shrubs, which are necessary for feeding deer and other domestic animals.

For the winter, nests are built on the ground under the snow. At this time, they feed on the root parts of plants that they dig out from under the snow. They often store food for future use, arranging storage near their nest. In addition, they constantly crawl to the surface in search of food. This is especially evident in the dark. By the way, it is during the night feeding that lemmings become the prey of the snowy owl, which hunts only at night.

Types of lemmings

Several types of lemmings are common in our country: forest, Norwegian, Siberian, Amur, ungulate and Vinogradov's lemming. In general, they have only minor differences in color and body length. The largest of them are Vinogradov's lemmings, they reach 17 cm - these are the largest of all small rodents.

forest lemming(Myopus schisticolor) - has a body size of about 8-13 cm; weight up to 45 g. Color black-gray, with brown spots on the back. It lives in the taiga from Scandinavia to Kamchatka. Prefers coniferous and mixed forests with abundant moss. It feeds mainly on mosses, berries and roots. Burrows in moss tussocks, among tree roots, or among moss-covered stones. Females bring cubs twice a year for 4-6 pcs. Live 1-2 years.

norwegian leming(Lemmus lemmus). Size up to 15 cm. The color is variegated, along the back there is a yellow-brown black stripe. It lives in the mountain tundra in Scandinavia and on the Kola Peninsula. Burrow does not dig, usually settles in natural shelters under the roots of trees, among stones and moss tussocks. Feeds on reindeer moss, sedge, cereals, berries. The female brings up to 7 cubs in 3-4 litters.

Siberian lemming(Lemmus sibiricus). Body length up to 16 cm, weight up to 130 g. Color yellow, black stripe along the back; does not change color in winter. It lives in the tundra of Russia from the Northern Dvina to the Kolyma and on the islands of the Arctic Ocean. It feeds on mosses, sedges and cotton grasses. In winter, branches and roots of tundra shrubs. In winter, it lives under the snow, in nests that it makes from leaves and branches. During the year, the female brings 4-5 litters, each with up to 12 cubs. It is the main prey for arctic fox, ermine, snowy owl. Carrier of pseudotuberculosis and hemorrhagic fever.

Amur lemming(Lemmus amurensis). Length up to 120 mm. In summer, the color is brown with a black stripe along the back. Winter long fur of brown color, with a gray bloom, a dark stripe on the back fades or completely disappears. It reproduces in the same way as the Siberian lemming.

ungulate lemming(Dicrostonyx torquatus). The body length reaches 14 cm. In winter, the middle claws of the front paws grow and take the form of a hoof. Hence its name. Ash-gray color in summer, with red tan marks on the sides and head, in winter a lighter color. The belly is gray, along the back there is a black stripe, on the neck there is a light “collar”.

Lemming Vinogradova(Dicrostonyx vinogradovi). It is named after the zoologist B.S. Vinogradov, who discovered this species on Wrangel Island. Where he still lives. Found on nearby islands. It is the largest of the rodents. The length of the bodies reaches 170 mm. It feeds on grass and shrubs. For the winter makes large stocks of branches for food. Digs large and complex burrows-towns. The female brings up to 3 litters per year, 5-6 cubs. Her pregnancy lasts 20 days. Cubs begin to see clearly in 10-12 days, and in two weeks burrows crawl out.

Lemming breeding

Lemmings are solitary animals and therefore differ in some degree of misanthropy in character, the reproduction of lemmings is a rather peculiar process. Since these animals do not create families, in fact their intersexual communication ends with the very fact of fertilization by males of females. After that, the females are left alone, looking for food for themselves. The number of cubs is 5-6 pieces in a litter, while they become pregnant every two months. And this is not surprising, given that their life expectancy averages from 1.5 to 2 years. After the birth of the cubs, the females begin to guard even more actively and, if necessary, protect the territory of their habitat. During breeding periods, females are usually in one place, and males are in constant search of an individual of the opposite sex for the purpose of reproduction.

Pregnancy in a female lasts 20-22 days. For one lamb, she brings a different number of cubs. It depends on the feeding conditions: when there is plenty of food, there are more cubs in the litter, in a hungry year - less. Young lemmings participate in reproduction even before full development. Lemming females are already pregnant at the age of 3 months. Such fecundity of lemmings makes them the most numerous individual in the Arctic.

Lemmings self-destruct

Usually lemmings feed for a long time in one territory. However, in favorable years, when with a long summer and warm winter enough food, there is a process of increased reproduction of lemmings. The number of lemmings increases so much that there is not enough food for everyone, there is a shortage of food and the animals begin to migrate. There comes a moment when this migration turns into their mass resettlement. Mostly juveniles migrate. Together they leave their native places and rush in some direction. Paying no attention to anything, the live mass of lemmings moves through fields, mountains, settlements, until it hits a water barrier, be it a river, lake or seashore. Lemmings jump into the water and swim. At the same time, a significant part of them drown when trying to cross.

During such periods, a real feast for predators begins in the places of their crossing. On land they are chased by arctic foxes, foxes, owls, buzzards. Sled dogs do not disdain such food, and sometimes they are even eaten by reindeer. In the water, the corpses of drowned lemmings at such moments cover the water surface. They are eaten by seagulls, predatory fish and marine animals. Due to such migratory processes, the population of lemmings is greatly reduced, and in subsequent years they become rare. Usually, after 3-4 years, the number of individuals comes to the usual level and remains until a new outbreak of mass reproduction. Thus, lemmings self-destruct, and their numbers are periodically regulated naturally in accordance with the possibilities of food sufficiency for the entire livestock.

Since lemmings are mass animals, they form the basis of the diet of many predators of the North. These are arctic foxes, and polar owls, and peregrine falcons, and gyrfalcons. During mass migrations, lemmings become easy prey and everyone starts to hunt them. Wolves, crows, gulls, skuas, bears, and sometimes even completely peaceful geese and reindeer feed on lemmings! Oddly enough, herbivorous geese and reindeer thus make up for the lack of protein in the body.

During such periods, all these animals prefer lemmings to other prey species, even their fecundity is closely related to the number of lemmings in a given season. The periodic decline in the number of lemmings becomes a decline in the birth rate of the main predators of the North, since they also bring fewer offspring during this period. So, in a natural way, there is a regulation not only of the population of lemmings, but also of other animals.

Lemmings are rodents from the hamster family and the vole subfamily, forming several closely related genera and species, whose representatives live exclusively in the tundra and forest-tundra zones.

Lemming in the palm of your hand.

Lemmings are the most important representatives of the tundra fauna; the survival of many predatory animals, such as arctic fox, ermine, polar owl, directly depends on the population size of these animals.

Outwardly, lemmings resemble both hamsters and voles, but the animals have the greatest resemblance to steppe lemmings, which is why in some sources they are called polar lemmings.

Lemming: description of the animal

Regardless of the species, all lemmings are quite well-fed animals with a dense physique. The body length of adults is 10 - 15 cm, with a body weight of 20 to 70 g.

Lemmings have very short legs, and in some species, the claws on the front paws grow and represent hooves. The tail of the animals is short, usually not exceeding 2 cm in length.

The head of lemmings is slightly elongated, the muzzle is blunt. The animals have small beady eyes and short ears, completely hidden under thick fur.

The hairline of these rodents is thick and dense, of medium length, which is an adaptation to life in extreme conditions. low temperatures. In representatives of certain species, fur even covers the soles of the paws. The color of the fur can be monophonic, grayish-brown or variegated, some animals acquire a camouflage color by winter and become very light or completely white.

Lemming in the snow.

Lemming in spring.

Range and lifestyle

Lemmings are typical inhabitants of the tundra and forest-tundra of Europe, Asia and North America, part of the population inhabits the nearby islands of the Arctic Ocean.

By nature, lemmings are solitary, rodent crowding is observed only in winter, when many animals gather in a common nest. Some species dig long burrows in soft ground, others seek shelter in rock crevices, under snags and tree roots, and build their nests right in the snow. IN hibernation lemmings do not flow, are active throughout the year and successfully breed even in winter.

In the warm season, individual populations make small seasonal migrations to rich food areas. In summer and in snowless winters, females with offspring are attached to certain territory. Most males do not differ in territoriality and randomly move in search of food. Males of some species have personal plots up to 2 km2, but the animals are loyal to each other and do not protect their personal territory.

Most lemmings are active both day and night, their daily biorhythms have several phases: if the activity phase is 3 hours, then feeding takes 1-2 of them.

Lemming in a man's hand.

Lemming in the hands of a man.

Lemming food

Depending on the species, the basis of the diet of lemmings is mosses, lichens, sedges, grasses, leaves and bark. deciduous trees. Separate types eat insects, mushrooms and berries. Some lemmings make significant stocks of food in their burrows for the winter, others feed on the root parts of plants in winter.

In 24 hours, a lemming is able to eat an amount of food that is 2 times its own weight, and during the year one individual consumes about 50 kg of various vegetation. Therefore, in places where lemmings feed, mosses, lichens and other ground cover plants are significantly eaten away, but, nevertheless, the tundra flora recovers very quickly.

Small lemming in the palm of your hand.

Lemming on the stone.

Lemming in the snow.

Lemming breeding

Lemmings are one of the most prolific animals and most species are able to breed all year round.

Animals do not create couples and after fertilization, the male leaves the female. Pregnancy lasts about 19-22 days, childbirth takes place in a nest lined with moss, dry grass and wool. From 2 to 9 cubs are born, more often 5-6. Newborn lemmings weigh about 1.9 - 2.3 g, the cubs are blind and helpless, but they grow and develop very quickly.

At the age of 11-12 days, the eyes of young lemmings open, after another 2-3 days the cubs make short trips out of the hole, and at the age of 3 weeks the animals are completely ready for independent life.

Depending on the species, the female brings from 2 to 5 offspring per year and is able to mate again 3-4 days after giving birth.

Young male lemmings become sexually mature at the age of 2 months, some females are ready to breed as early as 3 weeks old.

The life expectancy of lemmings is no more than 1-2 years.

Types of lemmings

The modern classification divides lemmings into 4 genera, each of which forms several species. Approximately 5-7 species of lemmings live in Russia.

Forest lemming (lat. Myopus schisticolor)

Representatives of the species inhabit the taiga zone from Norway to the lower reaches of the Kolyma River. Wood lemmings live in any forest: coniferous, deciduous or mixed, where moss grows in abundance - their main food source.

In appearance, these rodents are very similar to forest voles, but much smaller. The body length of adult specimens is from 8 to 13 cm with a body weight of 20-38 g (males) and 20-45 g (females). The tail of the animals is very short and grows up to 12-19 mm in length.

The forest lemming differs from representatives of other species in color: a spot of a reddish-brown color is located on a grayish or black back. In some specimens living in Siberia and the Trans-Urals, the spot continues along the entire back to the very back of the head. The hair on the back has a characteristic metallic sheen, the belly is slightly lighter than the back.

The main food of the forest lemming are various mosses: green, sphagnum and liver. The feeding territory of the animals is easy to determine by the characteristic bald spots - completely eaten away upper layers of moss. An insignificant share of the diet is made up of lichens and horsetails; forest lemmings practically do not eat grass and foliage.

The population of forest lemmings is quite common, but not numerous. Periodically, sharp outbreaks of fertility occur and then the animals make mass migrations, appearing in various biotopes, including in settlements.

Wood lemmings are carriers of tularemia and presumably tick-borne encephalitis.

Siberian lemming (lat. Lemmus sibiricus)

One of the most numerous species of rodents in the tundra zone of Eurasia, widely distributed in the north and northwest of Russia, as well as on the islands of the Arctic Ocean.

These small rodents grow up to 12-18 cm in length and weigh from 45 to 130 g, with males somewhat heavier than females. The color of the fur of the animals is reddish-yellow, with gray and brown patches. A black stripe runs from the tip of the nose down the back to the very tail. The sides and cheeks of the animals are reddish-brown, the belly is gray or yellowish. Some individuals have dark stripes around the eyes and near the ears.

Representatives of the population of the New Siberian Islands and Wrangel Island are distinguished by a characteristic black spot on the hips.

The winter fur of the Siberian lemmings is lighter and duller than the summer fur, and sometimes it is almost white.

Siberian lemmings spend most of the year under the snow, in well-equipped snow chambers, and do not tend to migrate. In spring, when melt water floods their nests, the animals move to thawed areas, and in summer they dig holes in small hills and use various natural shelters.

The main diet of rodents is different kinds sedges, cottongrass and bluegrass. In winter, the main food is green moss, eaten right under the snow, in summer the green mass of plants prevails.

Siberian lemmings are carriers of tularemia, pseudotuberculosis and hemorrhagic fever.

Norwegian lemming (lat. Lemmus lemmus)

An endemic species of rodents living in Norway, in the north and west of Sweden, in the northern part of Finland and on the Kola Peninsula. Small populations of the Norwegian lemming inhabit some islands in the Arctic Ocean. Representatives of the species living near the southern border of the range periodically make mass migrations.

The body length of adult specimens does not exceed 15.5 cm, and the weight is about 130 g. On the back, the fur of the animals is colored in grayish-brown tones, a black stripe runs from the head and ends in the middle of the ridge. The belly is colored in yellow-gray tones, on the chest and throat the fur is black-brown.

The favorite habitats of Norwegian lemmings are peat bogs, scrub wastelands, as well as mountain slopes and ridges covered with woodlands. During the period of mass reproduction, animals can be found in forests, countryside and along frozen lakes.

Norway lemmings spend the winter in nests located directly under the snow. The basis of the diet of rodents are herbs, leaves, moss, blueberries and lingonberries.

Amur lemming (lat. Lemmus amurensis)

One of the rare species, whose natural biotopes are located between the Lena and Kolyma rivers, in the southeastern part of the Kamchatka Peninsula and on the New Siberian Islands.

These are small rodents, no more than 12 cm long. The winter fur of the Amur lemming is long and silky, dark brown in color with a rusty coating, there may be a small white speck on the chin. The summer color of the fur is completely brown, with a pronounced black stripe along the ridge. Sides, throat and cheeks are bright red.

Animals prefer to settle in taiga forests with a predominance of larch. The basis of the diet of these rodents is green mosses; in summer, various insects are added to the menu.

Hoofed lemming (lat. Dicrostonyx torquatus)

Representatives of the species live in the Arctic regions of Eurasia and America: from Alaska to eastern Canada, including the northern coast of Greenland, the Far East region of Russia and the Novaya Zemlya archipelago.

Hoofed lemmings are more like fat mice with very short legs than other species. The body length of the animals is from 12.5 to 16 cm, weight ranges from 45 to 75 g.

In winter, a pair of medium-sized claws on the forelimbs of the animals grow, acquiring the shape of a wide fork, similar to a hoof, thanks to which ungulate lemmings got their name.

In these rodents, even the paw pads are covered with thick fur, as a result of adaptation to the Arctic conditions of existence. The fur of the animals is soft, dense and fluffy, much longer than that of representatives of other species. The winter color of the animals is pure white, in summer the color of the fur changes greatly and can be from brown-red to smoky gray with a chestnut tint. A black or dark gray stripe runs along the ridge.

Ungulate lemmings inhabit exclusively the tundra, both mossy, with willows and dwarf birches, as well as marshy or rocky landscapes. Rodents avoid lichen tundra.

The animals dig long burrows, consisting of burrows and a complex system of passages, on stony soils they are content with natural shelters. In winter, the passages are laid directly in the thickness of the snow.

The diet of these rodents is quite diverse and includes grasses, foliage, bark of dwarf birch and willow, as well as mushrooms and berries.

Ungulate lemmings are carriers of tularemia, leptospirosis and alveolar echinococcosis.

Lemming Vinogradova (lat. Dicrostonyx vinogradovi)

Lemming Vinogradova is endemic to Wrangel Island and is under protection state reserve. The animals were named after the Soviet theriologist B.S. Vinogradov and were initially considered a subspecies of the ungulate lemming, but were eventually recognized as an independent species.

These animals are medium in size, the growth of adults is about 17 cm. Distinctive feature species is a larger and elongated head with a wide nape.

In winter, Vinogradov's lemmings are snow-white in color, in the warm season they become ash-gray with a subtle dark stripe on the back. At the base of the ears is a patch of reddish fur.

These animals dig holes, up to 30 m2 in area, and up to half a meter deep, with many exits. They feed mainly on herbs, cereals and foliage of shrubs, making significant reserves for the winter.

The myth of "suicide" lemmings

According to one popular legend about lemmings, once every few years, when the animal population grows significantly, the animals gather in huge flocks and, following the leader, go to a cliff or shore of a reservoir, where they die en masse.

In fact, lemmings are not social animals and are incapable of organized movement. In favorable years, abundant in food, the birth rate of rodents increases sharply, which inevitably leads to the fact that in the next season there is not enough food for everyone.

Lemmings begin to frantically search for food, eat poisonous plants and attack their own kind or larger animals. In search of food, rodents migrate over considerable distances, each on its own, but just near water and abysses, their mass accumulation occurs.

Animals try to overcome the water barrier, and although lemmings are good swimmers, some of them inevitably drown. Due to such migrations, the population size is significantly reduced, and usually returns to normal in 3-4 years, until the next outbreak of the birth rate.

Lemming in the snow.

Lemmings as food item

The well-being of some predatory animals of the tundra directly depends on the size of the lemming population: arctic fox, ermine, snowy owl. Lemmings are preyed upon by gulls, skuas, buzzards. According to some reports, sled dogs do not disdain these rodents, and even reindeer consume animals in hungry years.

The increase in the number of lemmings increases the population of predators, for which the animals are the main source of food. And vice versa, in years of depression, birds and mammals have to look for other food, and then there is a massive departure of arctic foxes from the tundra to the taiga, and snowy owls stop laying eggs if there is nothing to feed the chicks.

Currently, only rare species of lemmings are under state protection, and, according to experts, nothing threatens the general population of these animals.

Wool is an indicator of a dog's well-being. Thick and shiny - indicates excellent health, dull and thinning - signals a malfunction in the pet's body.

"Planned" molting

All dog breeders watching are ready for it seasonal change undercoat and coat in spring/autumn. This is a natural process that takes 1-2 weeks in short-haired dogs (with regular combing) and a little more in animals with a thick undercoat and long hair.

This is interesting! The first molt begins at different times, but, as a rule, it is associated with the time of year and appears no earlier than the quadruped is 6 months old.

Seasonal molting is a predictable event, the consequences of which are easy to deal with: you need to comb your dog more often, if necessary, visit the dog hairdresser and clean up the apartment every day.

"Unscheduled" molting

If the wool began to fall out in frightening quantities, and it’s not spring or autumn outside, head to the veterinarian. He will make a qualified diagnosis and determine the treatment algorithm.

The most common causes of out-of-season molting are:

Look for insects and signs of their presence, which can be redness, swelling, bite marks (dots), black grains and scratches. A dark coating in the auricles may suggest that an ear mite has settled there. Clean your ears and apply mites.

Important! Also check the dog mat, and if you suspect something is wrong, change it to a new one.

Skin diseases

You can run into eczema by washing your furry dog around and around. A dense, wet undercoat that does not have time to recover will easily provoke this serious disease, which will give impetus to an out-of-season molt.

The cause of dermatitis and similar ailments leading to severe hair loss can be low-quality dog cosmetics (shampoo and conditioners).

A good owner is obliged to be alert when he feels an unusual smell from the pet, which will tell about violations in the activity of the skin glands.

Allergy

It is usually supplemented by concomitant symptoms: anxiety, redness of the eyes, itching, discharge from the nose and eyes, rarely salivation.

Do quite healthy dog maybe suddenly as if on unfamiliar food, and any provoking factor, including plant pollen, Poplar fluff and dirty air.

If you recently gave your dog some new item (bowl, clothes, rug), replace them with others and look at the reaction of the animal.

Stress

Unexplained hair loss is often associated with psychological discomfort. A dog's feelings can be caused by anything - your anger, a street dog fight, a move, pregnancy, participation in an exhibition, an injury, an operation, or another stressful event.

Shedding on nervous ground does not differ in intensity and passes in three days.

Malnutrition

It is it that is quite capable of acting as a catalyst for unexpected hair loss. Elite factory feeds are beyond suspicion, but economy-class dry foods are the main enemies of healthy dog fur.

There is a lot of salt in cheap drying and there are no vitamins that are necessarily added to products. High Quality. And if the pet is prone to allergies, look for packages with the inscription or "holistic".

Skin and coat need vitamin nourishment from the inside.

Important! If your dog eats only natural foods, mix vitamin and mineral supplements into his meals from time to time.

Hair care

You can’t do without it both with seasonal and with a sudden molt. Get something that will help you maintain a healthy coat:

protein shampoo;
dry conditioners (improving the structure of the hairs and nourishing them);
Nickel-plated combs to remove tangles;
slicker brushes for delicate hair removal;
a brush-glove that easily collects hairs;
a furminator that can replace the entire arsenal of dog combs.

If you make it a rule to comb out the hair that falls out every day, it will not fly all over the apartment, clinging to the owner's clothes and settling on furniture.

The combing procedure will become less laborious if the preparatory stage is observed: before proceeding with it, cover the floor with newspaper or polyethylene.

Menu when shedding

It should be special, preferably with an emphasis on natural food with a large dose of proteins.. It is protein that is responsible for a healthy and beautiful dog coat.

meat, with the exception of pork;
chicken liver and hearts;
sea fish (without bones);
boiled and raw vegetables;
porridge.

Important! And be sure to put a little bit in your dog's food. fish oil, as well as supplements with vitamin B, copper and zinc, which stimulate hair growth.

Hair loss fight

It is carried out if the molt is not burdened by side symptoms - poor appetite, nervous behavior, high body temperature and others.

Put your pet on a diet or change food without ignoring vitamin and mineral complexes.

Measure the humidity and air temperature in the house: at + 25 ° and above, molting can be considered a natural phenomenon. Negative factors include low humidity (less than 40%). The way out is to regulate the temperature with the help of thermostats, systematically ventilate the apartment, install an air humidifier.

Walk more often, taking your pet into the yard 2-3 times a day, regardless of the weather. Moderate cooling can stop the molt. But do not overdo it so that the dog does not catch a cold.

And ... save your dog's nerves. As you know, all diseases occur on a nervous basis, and untimely molting is no exception.