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predatory  adjective - preying naturally on others

prey  noun - an animal that is hunted and killed by another for food

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A giant and terrifying bear attack you. You have nothing left to do except fall on the ground and play dead. It does not sound heroic but may save your life. Humans, like many animals, use this technique to protect themselves from predators and do more.

Some predatory fish play dead and sink to the bottom until smaller fish pass by and fall prey. 

Other animals use this tactic for the possible chance to make an offspring. Male spiders from the species nursery spiders typically try to win a female by giving her insects wrapped in webs. But females from this species are often trying to kill males, so individuals who play dead have a better chance of creating an offspring. 

A wide range of animals, including birds, snakes, frogs, mammals, and even humans, have this innate instinct. But playing dead requires much more than just falling on the ground and taking a strange pose. The animal which is playing dead continuously monitors the surroundings and waits for an indication to show it is safe to stop doing so.

Why do some animals play dead?