Prey species are very aware of their own death.
But seriously they aren't aware of death they just act based on evolutionary impulses that in the past made their ancestors not die. A prey creature has zero cognition of its own death.
That's exactly what we do also.
"> A prey creature has zero cognition of its own death. "
Well, they look scared to me, the simplest explanation is that they feel the same way that us. Why to add anything else to the simplest explanation? In order we can feel superior to them? Sounds like chauvinism to me. Or in order we don't feel guilty when we kill them? Sounds like cowardice to me.
Or put it another way, why I can't say the same thing about you? Maybe you are not aware of your own death, you just act based on evolutionary impulses that in the past made their your ancestors not to die.