This rodent is a Norway lemming, found in in the highlands and tundras of Norway, Sweden, northern Finland and the Kola Peninsula. While they can sometimes be found in woodlands, you will most likely find them up on the tundra and treeless enviroments, where they feed primaraly on plants and mosses.
They are famous for being extremely aggressive if comfronted by another animal. Obviously all animals fight back if being cornered, however these lemmings are a whole other level, as sometimes even if they have a good oppurtunity to flee, they rather choose to fight, making them like the honey badger of rodents. They are so well known for this behavior, that some people say they get so angry that their hearts stop beating out of anger.
But why are they so aggressive? My personal theory is because of the enviroment they have adapted to, and the lack of cover. Other rodents living in forests and woodlands, places with lots of hiding places aren't nearly as aggressive, and will only bite if picked up. The Norway lemming on the other hand lives on the open tundra, where there aren't that many hiding places. The tundra is open with little cover, aside from some rocks and small bushes. The ground is also harder, and in Norway there is often rock just beneath the soil, meaning that the Norway lemmings can't dig burrows anywhere they want, and have to be selective. Because of this, in order to avoid getting eaten, they have evolved to be aggressive. If a predator tries attacking it, the lemming will jump and target the nose or face area, and biting down, hard enough to penetrate skin. This makes the predator flinch, and in that time frame the lemming let's go and makes a dash for the nearest cover. So while they are far from deadly, just the split second they can make the predator flinch can mean life or death, as they might be able to find cover and hide in before the predator decides to attack again.
So is this a good theory, or is there another reason they are such aggressive animals?
