Northern Finland is experiencing its largest lemming migration in 20 years, according to this article in Helsingin Sanomat's "International Edition" (we never miss an issue!).
Though the little rodents (Norway lemmings, Lemus lemus) have not yet begun swarming in a locust-like frenzy, they have been turning up all over Lapland, including drowned in the nets of salmon fishermen, clinging to the oar of a rower and attached to a woman's ankle as it bit her.
Isn't this how The Omen starts?
One popular myth about lemmings is that they react to overpopulation by leaping off of cliffs to their death. While they sometimes do fall to their deaths, they are not consciously committing suicide. Instead, overpopulation and density triggers a migration reaction in the little rodents, causing a frantic and single-minded migration across long distances in search of greener pastures. They are often be so focused on moving forward in a frenzied rate, that they can plunge straight off of embankments, as seen in this video.
They might look cute, but they do not have a reputation for cuddliness. Lemmings can be fierce little buggers, bearing their teeth when approached and decimating entire sections of countryside of vegetation. In fact, the word "lemming" comes from the Norwegian "lemmus" which means destruction.
Are there any up-and-coming death metal bands in our reader-base? Feel free to use the name. Lemmus Lemmus: Princes of Decimation. We are also partial to the name, World War IV.
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Comments
we checked out the finnish newspaper article this came from. It is a mass of Norwegian Lemmings, the species, but they are not in northern norway, they are in finland. FYI.
Posted by: sylvie | September 5, 2007 10:08 PM
wait, there's a difference!?
kidding. thanks, fixed.
Posted by: Andrew Bleiman | September 6, 2007 7:45 AM
So I always though that the lemmings jumping off the cliff was a myth, and was promoted by Disney during a nature show they did back in the 60's. To know that it's not true and there was a reality to it is interesting.
Posted by: David | September 6, 2007 10:20 AM
While Lemmus Lemmus is still free, it seems that Lemming is already taken as a band's name. And they look like a jolly lot.
Posted by: Sacha | September 6, 2007 5:57 PM
Holy Crap!
Lemming is currently my favorite band...and I haven't even listened to their music yet!
Posted by: Benny | September 7, 2007 12:15 PM
The Disney film was called White Wilderness. I kept a copy because the producers of the show were once accused of forcing the lemmings over the cliff. YouTube has some of the footage.
Posted by: Peter | April 5, 2008 4:56 PM
I didn't lemming till we had to draw one in class today. And i have to research them as homework and find things out about them. And i am shocked to hear that they jump off cliffs hurting themself.
Posted by: courtney | April 22, 2008 5:01 PM
I didn't lemming till we had to draw one in class today. And i have to research them as homework and find things out about them. And i am shocked to hear that they jump off cliffs hurting themself.
Posted by: courtney | April 22, 2008 5:01 PM
I like this site but I did not get the feeling of comming any closer to the Lemming...can you show me a video there a lemming gets a stroke, because I have heard that the Lemmings can be so frightened that they get a stroke...
Posted by: Silje | September 4, 2008 4:30 AM
i hatee this websitE!
thank yoy for your understanding :)
Posted by: lafanda laquisha | September 23, 2008 4:36 PM
this thing is lying i live in nunavut and we have tonns of lemmings. they do NOT hurl themseives off cliffs.
you guy are LYING LYERS
Posted by: Cheyenne | October 20, 2008 8:24 PM
No, lemmings don't HURL themselves off cliffs in a suicidal manner, but repeated observation and studies do show that they have a tendency to frantically (and unknownly) run off of cliffs and plummet to their death in search of food and during migration times. Check out a recent article on Discovery Channel's site:
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/11/06/lemmings-warming.html
Posted by: Stephanie | November 7, 2008 4:39 PM