The surprising reasons animals play dead - Tierney Thys
2,290,802 Views
9,048 Questions Answered
TEDEd Animation
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.
Imagine that you are living with grizzly bears, mountain lions, or white sharks. Playing dead could be an effective defense against which of these predators?
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
