Adventurer Survives Snakebite in Snowy Mountains

Imagine being lost in the wilderness for almost two weeks. That's exactly what happened to Lovisa Sjoberg, a 48-year-old woman who went missing while hiking alone in Australia's Snowy Mountains. She was finally found on a bush trail on Sunday, looking dazed and hurt. Police revealed she had been bitten by a suspected copperhead snake four days earlier. This venomous snake can cause serious harm, even death, without quick medical help. Lovisa also had a rolled ankle and was dehydrated. She was lucky to be alive after all she went through.

The search was massive. Police used helicopters, planes, and rescue teams on foot, by road, and even on horseback. It started only after her rented car wasn't returned, which they traced to a former gold mining town called Kiandra. It took six days to find her. The park where she was hiking was just reopened after a winter closure, and it had recently undergone an aerial cull of deer, pigs, and wild horses to protect its ecosystem. Lovisa, an experienced hiker and photographer known for her wild horse pictures on Instagram, was a topic of concern for brumby advocates during her ordeal. The Snowy Mountains are part of the Great Dividing Range, popular with hikers and skiers. The government culls wild animals there to safeguard native plants and animals from damage.

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