Southern Bog Lemming
Encyclopedia
The Southern Bog Lemming, Synaptomys cooperi is a small North America
n lemming
. Its range overlaps with the other species in genus Synaptomys, the Northern Bog Lemming
, in southeastern Canada
but extends further south.
They have round thick bodies covered with grey-brown fur with silver grey underparts. They have a large head, short legs and a short tail which is lighter underneath. Their small ears are barely visible through their fur. Their upper incisors are grooved. Females of this species have 6 mammae; female Northern Bog Lemmings have 8. They are 13 cm long with a 2 cm tail and weigh about 35 g.
These animals are found in mixed forests, wetlands and grasslands in eastern North America
. They feed on grasses, other green vegetation, fungi and moss
es. Their droppings are green. Predators include owl
s, hawk
s, mustelids and snakes.
Female lemmings have 2 or 3 litters of 4 to 6 young in a year. The young are born in a nest in an underground burrow or concealed in vegetation. Most will live less than a year.
They are active year round, mainly at night. They make runways through the surface vegetation and also dig underground burrows. These animals are often found in small colonies. Lemming populations go through a 3 or 4 year cycle of boom and bust.
The range of these animals is thought to be declining in some areas due to loss of wetland habitat.
Two subspecies are have become extinct: Kansas Bog Lemming (S. c. paludis), and Nebraska Bog Lemming (S. c. relictus)
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n lemming
Lemming
Lemmings are small rodents, usually found in or near the Arctic, in tundra biomes. They are subniveal animals, and together with voles and muskrats, they make up the subfamily Arvicolinae , which forms part of the largest mammal radiation by far, the superfamily Muroidea, which also includes rats,...
. Its range overlaps with the other species in genus Synaptomys, the Northern Bog Lemming
Northern Bog Lemming
The Northern Bog Lemming, Synaptomys borealis is a small North American lemming. This is one of two species in genus Synaptomys, the other being the Southern Bog Lemming....
, in southeastern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
but extends further south.
They have round thick bodies covered with grey-brown fur with silver grey underparts. They have a large head, short legs and a short tail which is lighter underneath. Their small ears are barely visible through their fur. Their upper incisors are grooved. Females of this species have 6 mammae; female Northern Bog Lemmings have 8. They are 13 cm long with a 2 cm tail and weigh about 35 g.
These animals are found in mixed forests, wetlands and grasslands in eastern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. They feed on grasses, other green vegetation, fungi and moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es. Their droppings are green. Predators include owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
s, hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
s, mustelids and snakes.
Female lemmings have 2 or 3 litters of 4 to 6 young in a year. The young are born in a nest in an underground burrow or concealed in vegetation. Most will live less than a year.
They are active year round, mainly at night. They make runways through the surface vegetation and also dig underground burrows. These animals are often found in small colonies. Lemming populations go through a 3 or 4 year cycle of boom and bust.
The range of these animals is thought to be declining in some areas due to loss of wetland habitat.
Two subspecies are have become extinct: Kansas Bog Lemming (S. c. paludis), and Nebraska Bog Lemming (S. c. relictus)