The surprising reasons animals play dead - Tierney Thys
2,290,811 Views
9,048 Questions Answered
Let’s Begin…
From lemurs to lizards, ants to amphibians, sharks to chickens, hundreds of animals "play dead" as a survival tactic. But how and why do animals do this? Tierney Thys explains how this curious behavior, known as tonic immobility or TI for short, can be used as a defense or offense.
How can being part of a group help an animal that is playing dead survive?
Sign in to answer questionAbout TED-Ed Animations
TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »
Meet The Creators
- Educator Tierney Thys
- Director John R. Dilworth
- Script Editor Emma Bryce
- Animator John R. Dilworth
- Compositor OG Marcontell
- Sound Designer William Hohauser
- Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott, Elizabeth Cox
- Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
- Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
- Narrator Susan Zimmerman
- Fact-Checker Francisco Diez