Woman Found Injured with Suspected Snake Bite After Six Days in Snowy Mountains

Following an extensive search and rescue operation, emergency services located a woman who had been missing for six days in Australia’s Snowy Mountains. She was described as “dazed and injured.” New South Wales (NSW) Police reported that Lovisa Sjoberg was found on Sunday afternoon local time, exhibiting symptoms of a suspected snake bite, dehydration, and a rolled ankle. The photographer received on-site treatment for her injuries before being transported to a hospital, where her condition is now stable. Sjoberg, aged 48, frequently visits the secluded Kosciuszko National Park, a location where she regularly photographs wild horses inhabiting the mountains. Concerns for her safety escalated after a hire car company reported that her vehicle had not been returned and she could not be reached. Her car was subsequently discovered unlocked and abandoned. On 21 October, NSW Police issued a public appeal for assistance in locating her and initiated a broad search operation utilizing sniffer dogs, firefighters, park rangers, and a helicopter equipped with infra-red capabilities. The level of concern intensified when rescue teams were unsuccessful in locating her after several days, especially as nighttime temperatures in the area surrounding Kosciuszko National Park fell to zero degrees. A National Parks and Wildlife Service officer located Sjoberg on Sunday afternoon local time on the Nungar Creek Trail at Kiandra. Supt Toby Lindsay informed media that Sjoberg had been “wandering [for] days” through “tough” bushland. She also conveyed to rescuers her belief that she had been bitten by a copperhead snake four days prior. This snake species is typically shy rather than aggressive; however, its venom is a potent neurotoxin and can be fatal without medical intervention. Supt Lindsay commented, “She’s in fact very fortunate to be alive… she obviously went through a tough time.” He further stated that she is currently in a “reasonable condition” and is “happy to be alive.”