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Is it true that lemmings jump off cliffs in droves?

Meet the smallest inhabitant of the Arctic - the lemming. This furry animal looks like a small hamster, weighs only 50-100 grams and fits in the palm of your hand. But it is surrounded by the strangest legend in the animal world.

It is said that once every few years, lemmings gather in huge crowds and jump off cliffs into the sea - supposedly out of desperation that there are too many of them. This story spread around the world after a 1958 film. But it is not true! The animals do not actually jump into the abyss. In that film, the lemmings were simply thrown by people to get a spectacular shot. A fake!

But what really happens? Every 3-4 years, the number of lemmings increases explosively - there can be up to 200 of them on one hectare of tundra. Then some of the animals set off to look for new places to live. They swim across rivers, run over mountains. Some die on the way, because they don't really know how to swim. This is where the legend arose.

Lemmings don't hibernate in the winter. They dig tunnels under the snow and live there all year round - it's warmer there than above, up to 30 degrees! The female can give birth every month, starting from two weeks after birth. This is the fastest relative in the animal kingdom.

Without lemmings, the Arctic would be empty. They feed on foxes, owls, and even polar bears. So the next time you hear a scary tale about a small animal, remember: sometimes people make up lies, and the truth is even more interesting.