Scientists Compare Sharks and Serial Killers

According to a study published online Monday in the Journal of Zoology - Great White sharks have a lot in common with serial killers. They don't just attack at random, they stealthy stalk their specific victim.

The New York Daily News reported that sharks observe their prey from a not-too-close, not-too-far base and hut methodically. The research also found that sharks learn from past attempts.

"There's some strategy going on," said study co-author Neil Hammerschlag, a shark researcher who observed 340 great white shark attacks on seals off an island in South Africa.

The sharks could have just hung around right where the seals gathered if they were random killers-of-opportunity, Hammerschlag said.