Jonny Miller
Have you ever been so scared that you froze on the spot? Imagine a predator is stalking you. It’s faster and stronger than you and the only way you have to escape it is by staying as still and as quiet as possible. There’s no way you’re going to wipe your nose at a moment like this!
This Virginia opossum found itself in this very predicament. But this frozen-from-fear behaviour is a useful and effective strategy for avoiding predation. Ever heard the expression ‘the thrill is in the chase’? Well, predators may agree, because if a prey animal is fast and agile, it suggests that the prey is healthy — and perhaps tasty!
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