70 Jan.BBC Wildlife No. 01 Vol. 42

Our photography competition delivered some stunning entries

THE COVER This month’s cover shot by Italian photographer Stefano Unterthiner features a male Svalbard reindeer as it follows a harem of females during the rut. Stefano documented the group for about three weeks during the mating season until they dispersed. He took the image with a Nikon D5, 500mm, 1/1000th, f6.3, ISO1250.

Every month, only in BBC Wildlife

NICK BAKER

“Bat droppings might not look or smell appetising to us, but they are delicious to a bat fly.” P.34

GILLIAN BURKE

“Atmospheric oxygen is locked in a dance between rock erosion and the phosphorous cycle” P.1 7

JONATHAN AND ANGIE SCOTT

Our guest columnists talk about the importance of good safari etiquette P.25

BBC WILDLIFE January 2024 6

LUCY COOKE

“A strong maternal bond is essential as seal pups are totally dependent on their mother” P.27

MIKE DILGER

The naturalist heads to Japan this month, in search of macaques that enjoy a dip in a hot spring P.30