Steppe lemming

Young steppe lemmings (about 6 weeks)

The steppe lemming ( Lagurus lagurus ) is a common in Western and Central Asia type of voles. Despite its name, it does not belong to the lemmings, but in the relationship of the voles. The closest relative is probably the very similar North American Salbeiwühlmaus ( Lemmiscus curtatus ).

The coat color is gray on the upper side and has a conspicuous dorsal stripe. The underside is whitish. The squat, 8 to 12 cm long body, which is just 1 cm long tail and the tiny, hidden in the fur ears are the reason that we called this vole as " Lemming ".

The circulation area ranges from the eastern Ukraine to eastern Kazakhstan. In Kazakhstan, it is the most abundant mammal ever: in years of particularly high population numbers can be found sometimes 30 to 50 steppe lemmings on one hectare of land. Habitats are steppes and semi- deserts, but with a large population pressure also fields and pastures are populated. In cornfields steppe lemmings can cause considerable damage.

Until about 1900 Steppe lemmings were also common in the western and central Ukraine, but were exterminated here. From the fossil record, we know that in the Pleistocene large quantities of these animals have inhabited the European cold steppes westward to the British Isles.

Steppe lemmings create burrows that extend 90 cm below the soil. They lead to a nest chamber, which has a diameter of about 10 cm and is lined with plant materials. During the day they hide in this building. At night they go in search of food, which consists of parts of plants of all kinds.