July 15, 2025
Frogs Fake Death to Escape Males
European Female Frogs Literally ‘Play Dead’ to Escape Mating Frenzy—A Shocking Survival Strategy I remember the first time I read about it, I was mid-scroll and nearly dropped my coffee. Female frogs—yes, the ones we picture quietly croaking by a pond—are playing dead during mating season to escape aggressive males. Not as a movie plot twist, but as real survival behavior recorded by scientists. The image of a tiny frog lying stiff, pretending to be stone cold dead so a suitor gives up—it felt unbelievable. But this isn’t fiction. It’s science. During spring, European common frogs (Rana temporaria) gather in
