Wild Lemmings

Wild lemmings in the Tundra regions of Norway/Finland.

Wild lemmings in the natural wilderness of the Nordic Lapland. They are almost everywhere where there are some ground cover and protection from predators.  Some of them will give out a warning call when approaching close to them, often it is by their warning call that you find them.  Their furry coat is well camouflaged for the vegetation where they live, different shades of brown and black colors make them blend into the environment.

While walking in the bush I was often the abrupt-ed by a loud squeal of a lemming close by me, looking around to see where was it, where did the sound come from, it was most times right beneath me in the tusks of grass or hiding among the growing lichen.  The lemmings seem to give a warning signal to the others lemmings close by.

Wild Lemmings get noticed by the warning call they give to other lemmings.

Most times when I spotted a lemming was after when the lemming had made a loud warning squeal.  Only one or twice did I spot a lemming when it was out crossing a road or running past the open back door on the back yard.  In the forest there was a good ground cover for them to hide, predator birds do hunt them as well as foxes.

 Wild Lemmings in the Nordic wilderness.

Lemmings presence in the Nordic wilderness varies from year to year, not every year is equal, there are seasons when there are many fold more wild lemmings to be seen, so much that it is impossible to miss them while bush walking in the Nordic wilderness.  During my visit in 2011 to Lapland in north Finland, the abundance of wild lemming was most apparent, and there were lots of them everywhere northwest of town center Inari.