Serial Killers of the Ocean
So, I came across this news piece, and not at all sure it makes me feel better about sharks at all…
Great white sharks have some things in common with human serial killers, a new study says: They do not attack at random, but stalk specific victims, lurking out of sight.
The sharks hang back and observe from a not-too-close, not-too-far base, hunt strategically, and learn from previous attempts, according to a study being published online on today in the Journal of Zoology.
And, just like serial killers, they fit a certain profile of operating:
The sharks had a distinct mode of operation.
They were focused. They stalked from a usual base of operations, 90m from their victims – close enough to see their prey, but not close enough to be seen and scare off their victims.
They attacked when the lights were low. They liked their victims young and alone. They tried to attack when no other sharks were around to compete. They learned from previous kills. And they attacked from below, unseen.
However, there is a big difference between great white sharks and serial killers – motive.
Great whites attack to eat and survive, not for thrills.
So, the good news is that if you get attacked by a Great White, it won’t just be for fun. Bad news is that he’ll be really good at taking you out for lunch.