--- title: Dwarf Mongoose Plays Dead to Fool Bird in Funny Video description: A dwarf mongoose played dead multiple times to fool a yellow-billed hornbill bird in a video from Sabi Sands Game Reserve in South Africa. canonical: https://time.com/5231436/dwarf-mongoose-plays-dead-funny-video/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-04-06T20:37:25.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:51:56.420Z og:title: A Dwarf Mongoose Playing Dead Is Hilarious and Impressive at the Same Time og:description: You've never seen a mongoose like this before og:url: https://time.com/5231436/dwarf-mongoose-plays-dead-funny-video/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt63e1460295d99d39/69892d0e0a4a2222869d2563/dwarf-mongoose-plays-dead.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2000 og:image:height: 1125 og:image:alt: African Mammals og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: A Dwarf Mongoose Playing Dead Is Hilarious and Impressive at the Same Time twitter:description: You've never seen a mongoose like this before twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt63e1460295d99d39/69892d0e0a4a2222869d2563/dwarf-mongoose-plays-dead.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # A Dwarf Mongoose Playing Dead Is Hilarious and Impressive at the Same Time > Sponsored content. 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Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically.  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Apr 6, 2018 8:37 PM UTC  Dwarf Mongoose Dwarf Mongoose VW Pics—UIG via Getty Images  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Apr 6, 2018 8:37 PM UTC A capricious dwarf mongoose [has gone viral](http://time.com/5230931/bobcat-vs-rattlesnake-fight-video/) for playing dead around an unsuspecting yellow-billed hornbill bird in a clip filmed in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve [in South Africa](http://time.com/5225701/winnie-madikizela-mandela-south-africa/). In the Safari Live video, the mongoose approaches the hornbill only to turn around and faint, appearing to fake its death while lying on its back. This goes on hilariously multiple times, although the hornbill seems nonplussed by the mongoose’s efforts. While many animals [play dead as a strategy for capturing](https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/10/151019-playing-dead-frog-possum-toad-animals-behavior-science/) their prey, [_National Geographic_](https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/04/animals-mongoose-hornbills-south-africa/)reports that this is more of a friendly overture on the part of the mongoose and that many dwarf mongooses roll on their backs while they play with other mongooses, although it’s far less common for them to [interact with birds](http://time.com/5229994/bald-eagle-lands-mariners-james-paxton/) like that. 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