When life gives you lemons, squeeze your way through: Understanding citrus avoidance behaviour by free-ranging dogs in India

Palatability of food is influenced by multiple factors such as taste, smell, texture, and freshness, which can vary widely across species. These factors, along with local environmental conditions, often shape the food habits of different populations. In particular, food availability can drive local adaptations, influencing not only the foraging behaviour but also the survival strategies of species. Urbanization, which alters the natural availability of food, has contributed to both a rapid decline in biodiversity and, in some species, the development of local adaptations that allow them to survive in modified environments. Free-ranging dogs (FRDs) have co-existed with humans for centuries, and present a perfect model system for studying local adaptations. In this study, we attempted to understand a specific aspect of their scavenging behaviour in India – citrus aversion. Pet dogs are known to avoid citrus fruits and food contaminated by them. In India, lemons are used widely in the cuisine, and discarded as kitchen waste, which is a primary source of food for scavenging FRDs. We report a set of experiments that revealed the citrus avoidance behaviour of FRDs. The dogs used different manoeuvres to procure the chicken and avoid the lemon provided in our choice tests. A survey revealed that people avoid giving citrus contaminated food to their own pets, but do not follow the same caution in case of FRDs. This study revealed that FRDs in West Bengal, India, are well adapted to scavenging among citrus-contaminated garbage, and have their own strategies to avoid the contamination as far as possible, while maximizing their preferred food intake. These results contribute to a better understanding of FRDs' dietary preferences and inform strategies for promoting responsible human-animal interactions.