Efficiency of Winter Scavengers in the Arctic

Abstract

Frozen carcasses of brown lemmings, Lemmus trimucronatus, were systematically placed under the snow in various tundra habitats in the fall of 1961 (188), 1962 (201) and 1963 (205) near Barrow, Alaska. Only 8 carcasses were recovered in the following springs. Removal of the carcasses is attributed to: arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) and red fox (Vulpes fulva); brown lemming; the least weasel (Mustela rixosa). Observations of behaviour, systematic trapping and examination of scats were used to suggest the relative importance of these consumers of lemming carrion in the order given above. The inability of investigators of lemming population cycles to find the carcasses of lemmings that die during the winter months is explained by the unusual efficiency of these species in locating and using frozen carrion during the winter months.