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The Flemish Wildlife Agency stopped the application for a second nudist beach in the country on the grounds that bathers “subsidiary activities” would pose a threat to a rare bird.

The Belgian Naturist Federation hit back saying bathers do not pose any real threat.

The plans to open a naturist beach near Westende, about 12km from the popular seaside resort of Ostend, were thwarted by various wildlife support associations claiming that certain species such as the lark would be alarmed by ”the courtship” and consequently flee.

Agency officials claimed the crested lark (Galerida cristata), a rare bird which broods on the ground, might be disturbed by what they described as “subsidiary activities” related to the nudist beach, including visitors having sex in the dunes as well as leaving rubbish behind.