Woman found 'dazed and injured' after surviving snakebite and several days in the wilderness

A woman who disappeared in the rugged mountains of southeastern Australia earlier this month has been found alive and is being taken to hospital after suffering a snakebite, according to police. Officials said the woman was stable and recovering from her injuries.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation and BBC News, a partner of CBS News, have identified the woman as Lovisa “Kiki” Sjoberg, a photographer who often visited Kosciuszko National Park to photograph wild horses in the region.

The 48-year-old was reported missing by officers from the Monaro Police District near Kosciuszko National Park on October 21, prompting a large-scale search operation, the New South Wales Police Force said. The vast park is known for its wild alpine landscape, covering approximately 270,000 square miles of land, roughly the size of the state of Texas.

Search parties and law enforcement set up a command post in Kiandra, an abandoned gold mining town in a remote part of the national park's Snowy Mountain region, police said. Officers from various agencies worked with Australia's National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Rural Fire Service and members of the public to search the area, with additional assistance from police dogs and a rescue helicopter.

A parks and wildlife officer found the woman shortly before 5 p.m. local time on Sunday on the Nungar Creek Trail in Kiandra, a stop along the hiking route.

“She was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics for exposure and suspected snakebite before being transported to Cooma District Hospital in a stable condition,” a police statement said.

Before Sjoberg was found, he was last seen driving a rental car in the park on October 15, the BBC reported. The car rental company reported the incident to police on October 21 after discovering the car had not been moved for six days and was overdue for return.

Monaro Police District Superintendent Toby Lindsay told media that Sjoberg was “dazed and injured” and “quite unwell” when they finally found her, according to the Australian broadcaster and BBC News.

“She states that she was bitten by a copperhead snake four days before she was found, as well as twisting her ankle and suffering from dehydration,” Lindsey said, noting that the woman had been “wandering” for days through challenging bushland.

According to the Australian Museum, copperhead snakes have powerful venom and “a bite by an adult of one of these species can be potentially fatal without medical attention.”

“She's actually very lucky to be alive…she's obviously been through a tough time,” Lindsay added. The superintendent said after the woman was rescued that she was in “fair condition” and “lucky to be alive.”

CBS News contacted the New South Wales Police Force for further information.