[the_af]

Maybe I'm wrong but I read that to mean that if they get completely soaked in extreme winter weather, they'll die. This doesn't seem so bizarre. Some animals, both mammals and birds, have some protection against this because their hair/feathers are both greasy and help them keep "air cushions" that prevent water from completely soaking the body -- but if that ever happens in cold weather the animal is as good as dead, since it'll die of hypothermia before it gets dry.

I may be wrong though.

[vintermann]

Yes, they can swim well and they have thick fur, I don't think jumping into a lake is inherently suicidal for them.

They are, however, in lemming years, not very afraid of predators and will even stand up and squeak furiously at you if you get close. I knew of a dog who would walk up to them, watch their tantrum display with interest, and then just chomp them up.

I think maybe that's where the "suicidal" idea comes from.

[Jensson]

> stand up and squeak furiously at you if you get close

Looks like this, no fear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAMMicsN9A4

[lttlrck]

Amazing! Too big for his britches!

[Jensson]

Animals used to the winter survives being wet, at least large ones like moose, they fall through the ice from time to time and people help them up. Maybe lemmings are so small that it wasn't worth evolving it, but it seems like a big handicap since most animals needs to drink regularly even in the winter.

[ahoka]

Large ones have more heat reserve due to square-cube law: surface area increases less with volume.

[the_af]

Yeah, I think what I said applies to small animals like birds and rodents, creatures without large fat reserves.