The Surprising Reasons Animals Play Dead

​The Surprising Reasons Animals Play Dead

Multiple Choice

Why do some animals play dead?

• To attract a mate

• To rest

• To avoid predators

• To cool down their body temperature

Multiple Choice

Playing dead is also known as _______.

• A

  Hibernation

• B

  Tonic immobility

• C

  Narcolepsy

• D

  Halitosis

Multiple Choice

Playing dead can be _______.

• A

  Used as a defense against predators who are attracted to movement

• B

  Used as a lure to attract scavengers who can then be eaten as prey

• C

  Used by male spiders to sidle up close to prospective female mates

• D

  All of the above

Multiple Choice

Humans can place sharks into tonic immobility by _______.

• A

  Stroking their snouts and flipping them over on their backs

• B

  Swinging a pendulum in front of their eyes

• C

  Squeezing their tails

• D

  None of the above

Multiple Choice

The length of time a chicken stays in tonic immobility depends on _______.

• A

  What season it is

• B

  The time of day

• C

  Whether or not a predator is staring at it

• D

  Chickens have no control over how long they stay in tonic immobility

Multiple Choice

Choose the true statement:

• A

  Animals with high dopamine levels play dead more frequently than those with low levels

• B

  When playing dead, the possum’s sympathetic nervous system causes the heart rate, respiration, and body temperature to drop

• C

  Playing dead is not a restful state and takes effort to maintain

• D

  Sharks can place Orcas into tonic immobility

Multiple Choice

What do possums do when attacked by a predator?

• Attack the predator back

• Run away as fast as they can

• Hide in the nearest shelter

• Play dead by entering a state called catatonia

Multiple Choice

What is the significance of studying tonic immobility in humans?

• It helps in developing new technologies

• It is used to train athletes

• It helps understand human responses to violence

• It has no significance