Biologist: Some small animals will instinctively go limp, “playing dead” when caught by a predator.
Given that ...
A predator will eat an animal, whether it's pretending to be dead or still looking alive.
How is it that ...
Instinctively going limp and "playing dead" when caught by a predator can have survival value?
Goal
Let's look for any answer that helps us understand how "playing dead" helps the small animal being chased by the predator.