biannual

Ahhh, my FINAL semester in college is drawing to a close. I successfully defended my thesis two weeks ago, and all I have left is to write this post, record a couple of podcasts (keep your eyes peeled for those in the very near future), and some other finishing touches. I'm a little sad that my life as a student is ending, but mostly excited that my life as an adult in the real world is beginning!

bi⋅an⋅nu⋅al 
1. occurring twice a year; semiannual.
2. occurring every two years; biennial.

For me, this was the toughest "word of the day" yet, because it seems less open to interpretation than the other words. So it took me a little bit, but thanks to my favorite search engine I was able to come up with something great, and also learn something new:

The above photo, captured by amateur photographer Sandra Critelli, shows the vast expanse of magnificent stingrays that animates the bright blue seas of the Gulf of Mexico semiannually - north in the late spring and south in late autumn. Taken off the coast of Mexico's Holbox this breathtaking picture captures the migration of thousands of rays as they follow the clockwise current from Mexico's Yucatan peninsula to western Florida.

Measuring up to 6ft 6in across, poisonous golden cow-nose rays migrate in groups - or "fevers," as they are known - of up to 10,000 as they glide their way silently towards their summer feeding grounds. There are around 70 species of stingray in the world's oceans, but these cow-nose rays have distinctive, high-domed heads. Despite their placid looks, they are still armed with a poisonous stinger, which can be deadly to humans - even though sharks, their main predators, are more likely to provoke them. The stinger, a razor-sharp spine that grows from the creature's whip-like tail, can reach almost 15 inches in length and carries a large dose of venom. It was a similar stinger that killed the well known and beloved "Crocodile Hunter," Steve Irwin in 2006. But even equipped with this powerful punch, cow-nose stingrays are shy and non-threatening in large 'fevers'. Even when isolated, they will attack only when cornered or threatened.

Below is a video of the famous migration... enjoy!