Northern Bog Lemming
(Synaptomys borealis)
Northern Bog Lemming
In Montana, the
northern bog
lemming has been
documented at
18 isolated sites,
mainly west of the Continental Divide.
Northern bog lemmings often occur in wet
meadows, fens, or bog-like environments.
Conservation concerns include: timber
harvest around bog/fen habitats; range
management practices, including exotic
plant invasion to fens; and poorly understood
distribution. Conservation strategies
include: working with cooperators to
limit timber harvest to beyond a 100
meter buffer surrounding sphagnum,
other fen moss mats, or associated
riparian areas which could provide corridors
for dispersal; minimizing livestock grazing
in drainages with unsurveyed moss mats;
and considering a management plan for
the northern bog lemming or including it in
another comprehensive taxonomic plan.
