: They have flattened claws on their front feet specifically designed for digging through snow and frozen ground.
Lemming populations are famous for their dramatic fluctuations, often peaking every 3 to 5 years. These "lemming years" are crucial for the Arctic environment: Lemmings
In reality, lemmings exhibit when their populations become too dense. During these migrations, they may attempt to swim across large bodies of water; while they are capable swimmers, many drown due to exhaustion or panic, which observers historically misinterpreted as intentional suicide. Population Cycles and Ecosystem Impact : They have flattened claws on their front