Lemming: Truth and Fiction Bashny.Net

Offering to share facts and numerous legends that are associated with these, apparently, cute small animals

10 pictures + text
+ Video





1.
Small furry animals, many inhabitants of the tundra. The body length of 10 to 15 cm, the tail of 1, 8-2, 6 cm. The tail and ears are small and densely covered barely protrude from the fur. The legs are short, feet are covered with fur. The claws of forepaws length (finger) on the first finger claw flattened and slightly forked.
Usually in the plains and mountain tundra and forest tundra on the Arctic islands, occasionally found in the forest and towns of the north.
Stick to wet, marshy places.



2.
The number varies greatly from year to year: in some years, they almost can not be found, and in others (usually every 3-5 years) - they scurry everywhere, are not afraid of humans and quite aggressive. Interestingly, in the same places in the lemming years also increases the number of arctic lemming, and in the forests of bank voles. Every few decades the case of particularly large number of outbreaks and migration of lemmings. At this time, rodents infest villages and mountain valleys, sometimes trying to swim across the river and bays, and finally in a mass killing. Even with the high number of animals not settle colonies and are aggressive towards each other. Although migration may seem organized movements, in fact every Lemming moves by itself, and only the external obstacles often force them to come together.



3.
Lemmings are active all day, eat mosses, herbaceous plants (sedges, grasses, etc.), leaves and bark of shrubs, moss, mushrooms. On occasion also eat insects, berries, gnaw discarded antlers. In winter, sometimes completely gnaw moss and lichen on small plots of land and a half meter. In late winter, when the snow is compacted, often come to the surface.

This fact has led some people to panic. From vyshenapisannogo, they realized that when lemming remains their main feed (mosses and herbaceous plants), he throws all that he sees, without performing any analysis. Rumor has it that after the raid on the town of lemmings N., on the site once the village, there was nothing left but charred ruins. The bodies of residents and nebyli onaruzheny. A grass on the path along which passed the lemmings do not grow to this day.



4.
Lemming life is shrouded in mystery and myths.
Here's one: It is known that some lemming winter fur greatly lightens or whitens, and claws on the front legs grow, taking the form of hooves.
For this reason, some people suggest that the lemmings are subject to lycanthropy. Every full moon they turn into sheep and drink the blood of unsuspecting wolves. It is believed that kill lemming-werewolf can only be a silver bullet, which had previously been to dip into the urine manatee.



5.
Rumor has it that there is a sign: if, on the new moon, at the top of date palm, and see the howling lemming - a big trouble!



6.
Rumor has it that in Tsarist Russia, the men went to the lemmings, no less than five and two, thus, it has been with spears. On the hunt necessarily take a hedgehog. No wonder people say: "Dog lemming - not an obstacle»



7.
"Suicides lemmings»:
In one children's story tells of a young lemmings that adheres to all with the question: "Why are all lemmings rushing down the cliff?" He asked the owl. He asks his father. He asked the cat. He asks everyone who comes to meet him. But no one knows anything. They say: "All the lemmings are doing».



8.
It is believed that this behavior of lemmings - nothing else, as a mass, blood sacrifice creatures zhivuscheh in the "other" world. World, flowing lava and burning sulfur, the world of bloodthirsty demons. These offerings also accompanied by wild orgies. (fact: The female brings to six litters a year, on average 5-6 pups, with an abundance of feed lemmings multiply even in the snow. Young females can bring their first litter at the age of 2-3 months, the males reach sexual maturity at 6-8 week. Lifetime - 1-2 years.)
Thus, lemmings tend to unleash the apocalypse on our world.



9.
The government, in order not to cause panic in the population, trying to distract us his theory:
Poverty tundra vegetation limits the number of lemmings, but once in 3-4 years the abundance of food, their population makes flash. Arctic tundra is unable to feed so many rodents, lemmings and forced to frantically search for their own food. They begin to eat even poisonous plants, and sometimes become aggressive and attack larger animals. The search for food forced lemmings commit mass migration. Typically, they move one by one, their massive clusters observed only in water obstacles. T. n. "Mass suicide" lemming occurs when they are on their way run into the river or the sea and have no time to stop. Part of lemmings drown, although in general they are well able to swim. Migration of lemmings do not usually lead to the development of new areas and rodents are the main factor in reducing the total population.



10.
Although some believe that lemming- just a moron.



...

00:31

Source: