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Sea lion pups in colonies near New Zealand are dying of a mystery disease similar to the rare illness which afflicts hospital patients infected with flesh-eating bugs. So far, the disease has killed more than 1600 pups on colonies at Enderby and Dundas Islands in the sub-Antarctic, more than half of all pups born. Post-mortems have revealed septic infections of bone and muscle that look just like the work of flesh-eating bacteria. Tests have revealed a number of suspect bugs, but they have yet to pin down the culprit, says Mike Donoghue of the New Zealand Department of Conservation.