Steppe vole
The steppe lemming or steppe vole (Lagurus lagurus ) is a small, plump, light-grey rodent, similar in appearance to the Norway lemming (Lemmus lemmus ), but not in the same genus. The steppe lemming eats shoots and leaves and is more active at night, though it is not strictly nocturnal. In the wild, it is found in Russia and Ukraine in steppes and semiarid environments. Fossil remains of this species have been found in areas as far west as Great Britain.
The steppe lemming has a body length of up to 12 cm and a tail of 2 cm, a little shorter than the hind foot. It weighs about 30 g. The eyes and ears are small and the fur is a uniform shade of brownish-grey with a black dorsal stripe.
This lemming is found in steppe, forest-steppe and semidesert parts of western Mongolia, northwest China, many parts of the former USSR, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, the southern and middle Ural, and western and eastern Siberia.
The steppe lemming is a colonial species digging lengthy burrows. It has a partially underground mode of life, being active during the day, but only going above the surface for short periods. It feeds on various parts of plants, including seeds. It reaches sexual maturity at the age of six weeks and can produce up to six broods in a year, with five or six young in each. Under favourable conditions, reproduction continues throughout the year. The numbers of steppe lemmings vary greatly according to climatic conditions and the availability of food. Migrations are observed during years of mass outbreaks.
