BETTIAH, June 25 -- The forest department has decided to suspend the jungle and the Gandak safari services for visitors to Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) from June 29 after registering a progressive influx of tourists, including a steady surge in foreigners this year, officials said Wednesday. The reserve's field director Gaurav Ojha said that the jungle safari and Gandak river safari within the reserve's forested zone will remain suspended from June 29 to September 30, citing the onset of the monsoon season, which has already caused the Gandak river to swell. "All tour packages being provided to tourists visiting the tiger reserve would remain suspended for the said time period," said Ojha while expressing his satisfaction over the steady footfall of visitors to VTR which is located about 330 kilometres north-west of the state capital. "The onset of the monsoon is a crucial period for the breeding of many wild animals, particularly herbivores. While tigers breed throughout the year, the monsoon season plays an important role in the overall wildlife breeding cycle," Ojha added. West Champaran's Valmikinagar has been a major tourist destination in the region owing to its scenic surroundings, abundant sightseeing options like Baraz, temples, confluence of rivers and pristine surroundings marked by lofty hills, dense forests and fresh, and fragrant air. Spread over 900 square kilometres, VTR witnessed a steady surge in footfall at Valmikinagar, Manguraha and Goverdhana. Officials said against the footfall of 302,271 visitors in 2023-24, the number of tourists surged to 480,680 in 2024-25 which further rose to 609,159 in 2025-26. April and May alone witnessed an influx of 69,618 tourists, they added. The number of foreign tourists to VTR also witnessed a surge. In 2018-19, the number of foreign tourists was three, which gradually increased with visitors from the US, Germany, Australia and other countries. By 2025-26, 70 foreign tourists had visited the reserve, and from April 2026 to June 23, 2026, seven foreign tourists had already visited, as per the available official records. Besides, there has been a progressing increase in tourists opting for jungle safari at VTR. According to the records, in 2021-22, 11,538 tourists undertook jungle safari, which rose to 17,198 in 2022-23, 23,550 in 2023-24, 29,196 in 2024-25 and 33,224 in 2025-26. From April 2026 to June 23, 2026, a total of 14,040 tourists have opted for jungle safari, said officials....