Lemming

Arctic · rodent · tundra · ecosystem

Tiny Arctic rodents. Lemmings are small furry animals that live in or near the Arctic in cold, treeless places called tundra. They're related to voles, muskrats, rats, mice, hamsters, and gerbils.

Nature's lawn mowers. Lemmings spend their days nibbling on mosses and grasses in the Arctic. They're like tiny herbivores that help control what grows in the tundra.

Dinner for predators. Wolves, owls, weasels, and other Arctic meat-eaters depend on lemmings as their main food source. Without lemmings, many Arctic carnivores would go hungry.

The cliff myth. A famous false story claims lemmings jump off cliffs to commit mass suicide. This myth is completely made up and not true at all, even though many people still believe it.