A study conducted by researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has revealed that when some reptiles are starving, they take greater risks to achieve greater food rewards.The researchers focused on tropical lizards called rock agamas (Psammophilus dorsalis). These lizards are also city-dwellers found in and around urban areas like Bengaluru.“Reptiles can slow down their metabolism a lot. So, in food-scarce times like winter, they go into torpor (hibernation) to avoid starving to death. In the tropics, however, reptiles are exposed to warm temperatures all year round and cannot slow their metabolism down enough to get through tough (food lean) times,” said Maria Thaker, professor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES), who led the study.Prof. Thaker said that she expected that lizards in the tropics should have evolved the ability to assess food options. Because if they don’t, they may risk starving to death.According to IISc, the team manipulated the energy levels of these lizards by either keeping them well-fed or starving them for 48 hours. Then, they provided both sets of lizards with two food options: a constant reward of two mealworms or a variable reward of either zero or four mealworms.“We found that well-fed lizards played it safe, opting for the guaranteed two mealworms option. On the other hand, starved lizards took greater risks, frequently choosing the variable option that could get them four mealworms. Remarkably, both groups of lizards ended up with similar net food gains by the end of the trials, indicating that the different strategies worked,” said Avik Banerjee, PhD student at CES and co-author of the paper.IISc added that the study provides a new understanding of how tropical lizards could adjust their foraging behaviour based on uncertainty about food resources.For reptiles in the tropics, where it is warm and energy demands are high all year around, this flexible approach could be key to thriving in unpredictable conditions,” IISc added.“We think that humans can assess our environment and take calculated risks when needed. But lizards can too. The fact that the rock agamas can remember different options and make appropriate choices to secure their survival is rather cool. We are surrounded by clever and calculating animals,” Prof. Thaker said.Published - February 28, 2025 12:07 am IST