Playing Dead: A Defensive Strategy that Survives the Hunt

Vukasin Bjelica, a PhD student and author of a new study published in the journal Biology Letters on May 8, has shed light on the effectiveness of playing dead as a defense mechanism in many species across the animal kingdom. The research involved studying the behavior of dice snakes on Golem Grad Island, where they feign death to avoid being eaten by birds.

Bjelica captured and examined 263 snakes to observe their defensive behaviors when provoked. The snakes displayed various tactics such as smearing feces and pungent compounds on their bodies, spitting blood, and playing dead. The study found that adult snakes were more likely to pretend to be dead successfully, while immature snakes did so for a shorter time.

The strategy of playing dead seems to be most effective on Golem Grad Island, where snakes are hunted by birds. Further research on snake populations in other environments is needed to fully understand this behavior. Playing dead can be a risky but effective way for the dice snake to ward off predators and increase its chances of survival.