Whilst most rodents adopt a lifestyle strategy of timid paranoia and fleeing, this little bastard does quite the opposite. It’s the honey badger of the rodent world. It’s the Norwegian Lemming.
Tales of Much Belligerence with the Norwegian Lemming
Right, so lemmings have a reputation for committing suicide en masse. Which is actually a myth that Disney managed to popularise.
They’re not suicidal, most of them just go about their lives in the usual rodent way. Furtively scooting about the place to avoid danger.
That’s except for the Norwegian lemming (lemmus lemmus). It’s evolutionary path has turned it into the Begbie of Trainspotting in the world of mice, hamsters, and whatnot.
Look at that clip above. They’re all like that. Approach the tiny wee cute Norwegian lemming… and the little psychopath will attack you on sight. Behold!
Right, so the Norwegian lemming’s stance is to fearlessly charge anything it comes across, squeaking and snapping its jaws.
If you dare to happen across the beast in close quarters, its immediate reaction is to be highly aggressive. There are records of them attacking humans.
Has there ever been a more cute little SOB in the history of the world?
In Norway, it’s quite common for skiers to come across the little monsters. And at that point, their day of skiing is most definitely over.
Right, so if you’re a predator out in the wild and eye spy these little things, you’d think this is a cheap meal.
Say you’re a bird of prey. You see it and swoop in… and then you’re confronted by this snapping furball of anger.
The Norwegian lemming’s response of total fury (and to charge anything it comes across) is pretty much genius, really.
Other than starving rats, we can’t think of any rodent more full on.
Anyway, the little creatures are only found in northern Scandinavia. So you should be safe unless you go for a skiing trip in Norway.
Crepuscular beasts, they alternate nap time between the night and day. Which is nice.
Just don’t you dare wake them up, eh? Otherwise death by lemming awaits you.
Professional Moron 
I am inspired by this post to propose a blockbuster movie about a 400-foot tall psychopathic Norwegian lemming that emerges from the Arctic to smash up major cities by playing roly-poly on them. ‘Lemzilla’; or something. Got a spare hundred-mill to chuck my way, as a starter (the budget will be much higher than that of course, mostly going to fuel my lifestyle as a megalomaniac director).
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That’s an excellent idea, sir, I merely lack the £100 million. Perhaps refer this project to Elon Musk, seeing as he’s so keen on trying out the most crazy stuff out there.
I’d also say I want a disclaimer in the movie about how no Norwegian lemmings were harmed, but I guess that’s irrelevant and it’d be the crew taking the injuries.
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I think Disney purposely drove them off a cliff, lending more credence to the “Disney is Evil” theory. Also, good lord are those little buggers cute!
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The curse of Disney! And the curse of cuteness! So cute, yet so crazy are these little rodents.
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“It’s the honey badger of the rodent world.” LOLOL. That’s the line I always wanted for the Norwegian Lemming. Love their youtube videos, even though most of them seem around 11 years old, for some reason. Must have been a real explosion year. I am actually trying to figure out if there’s a way to go for lemming tour trip to Norway.
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Go for it! I’ve always wanted to go to Norway. They should put on Norwegian Lemming tours or some such. I’d pay for that! 👍
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