collared lemming

rodent

Also known as: Dicrostonyx

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June 24, 2026

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The collared lemming is a stout-bodied rodent found in arctic North America. It has a white coat in winter and a brown coat in summer, with dark stripes on its face and back. These lemmings are part of the larger lemming family, which includes about 20 species of small rodents inhabiting the Northern Hemisphere. Lemmings are known for their dramatic population fluctuations and occasional mass migrations, though they do not intentionally commit mass suicide as a popular myth suggests. They are active year-round, feeding on various vegetation and nesting in burrows or under rocks. Collared lemmings belong to the genus Dicrostonyx.12

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lemming
The colour of the collared lemming varies seasonally. During the summer its coat is gray tinged with buff or reddish brown and with dark stripes on the face and back. In the winter they molt into a white coat and develop forked digging claws. Other species are gray, sandy…
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The colour of the collared lemming varies seasonally. During the summer its coat is gray tinged with buff or reddish brown and with dark stripes on the face and back. In the winter they molt into a white coat and develop forked digging claws. Other species are gray, sandy…
Read More