Lemmus sibiricus
Range
They are found in Siberia and the arctic tundra of North America.Habitat
They live in treeless tundra meadows.Body Traits
They have rounded bodies with brown fur and a short tail. They have flat faces with small eyes and small ears that are hard to see under their thick fur.Habits
They are territorial and live alone in tunnels they dig under the snow or tundra turf. They only come together to mate.Diet
They eat only live green plants. In the summer, this is grasses and sedges. In the winter, frozen plant leaves and moss. They have to eat a lot all through the day and night, year round to stay well fed.Predators
They are hunted by ermine, arctic fox, arctic wolves, snowy owls and wolverines.Reproduction
Females are pregnant for 3 weeks (gestation). They have 2-12 young. Baby lemmings can start having their own babies in just a few weeks. They only breed in the winter and the summer. They don’t breed in the spring when the snow is melting or in the fall when the snow is falling.Lifespan and/or Conservation Status
They live about 2 years in the wild. They are listed as Lower Risk – least concern.
Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Subphylum: Vertebrata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Rodentia
- Suborder: Myomorpha
- Family: Cricetidae
- Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- Genus: Lemmus
- Species: Lemmus sibiricus