Many animals survive predation by running, fighting, or hiding. However, some take a much stranger approach: they play dead. This odd behavior is known as thanatosis or tonic immobility. The strategy ...

We all know that animals “play dead” in certain situations. But do you know the reasons behind the “feigning death” phenomenon? “Playing dead,” or “feigning death,” is common in the animal kingdom, ...

Opossums are cat-sized marsupials known to “play dead” when threatened, the Florida fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says. This is not the opossum involved in the fatal crash. Karen ...

A picture of the animal, known for playing dead, has been spreading online, with users attaching captions riffing on life’s ...