This may be an attempt to play dead, discouraging predators that prefer live prey.
1	This	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	nsubj	5:nsubj	Discourse=evaluation-comment:65->63:3|Entity=(45-abstract-giv:act-cf1*-1-ana)
2	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	5:aux	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	cop	5:cop	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	5:det	Entity=(45-abstract-giv:act-cf1*-2-coref
5	attempt	attempt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	0:root	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	7:mark	_
7	play	play	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	5:acl:to	_
8	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	7:xcomp	Entity=45)|SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	10:punct	_
10	discouraging	discourage	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	5:acl	Discourse=causal-result:66->65:0
11	predators	predator	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	10:obj|13:nsubj	Entity=(51-animal-new-cf2-1-sgl
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	11:ref	Discourse=elaboration-attribute:67->66:0
13	prefer	prefer	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	11:acl:relcl	_
14	live	live	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	15:amod	Entity=(52-animal-new-cf3-2-sgl
15	prey	prey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	13:obj	Entity=52)51)|SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	5:punct	_
