‘She lives like an animal’: How Lovisa ‘Kiki’ Sjoberg survived 12 days and a snake bite in the Snowy Mountains bush

A woman who went missing in the NSW Snowy Mountains survived 12 days — four of them after a snake bite — on her own by eating dehydrated rations and living like an animal, friends say.

Lovisa ‘Kiki’ Sjoberg, 48, was found dazed and suffering from a snake bite from what was believed to be a copperhead on Sunday afternoon after 12 days missing near Kiandra in Koscziusko National Park. Pictures: Supplied

A woman who went missing in the NSW Snowy Mountains survived 12 days on her own by eating dehydrated rations and living like an animal, friends said.

Lovisa ‘Kiki’ Sjoberg, 48, was found dazed and suffering from a snake bite on Sunday afternoon after entering the Kosciuszko National Park on October 15.

Friends reported her missing to police six days later when their attempts to contact or locate the avid photographer and brumby activist were unsuccessful.

But just as rescuers were starting to pack up around 5pm after another futile day of searching, a National Parks and Wildlife Service officer found Ms Sjoberg walking in bushland beside a creek trail.

“She survives well on the very basics,” he said. “She can live like an animal”.

Searchers look for the 48-year-old photographer, who was found suffering from exposure and bitten by what police believe was a copperhead snake.

Mr Cochran, who was due to continue searching for the missing woman on Monday until police alerted him to the good news, said she was a skilled bushwalker and no stranger to the conditions.

“She’s known to live on dehydrated rations … the girl is quite amazing,” Mr Cochran said.

Monaro Police District Superintendent Toby Lindsay said Ms Sjoberg was “dazed and injured”, but “pretty fortunate to be alive” given the terrain and weather conditions she had endured.

“She advised us she was bitten by a snake four days prior, she was dehydrated and had rolled her ankle,” Supt Lindsay said.

Paramedics took Ms Sjoberg to Cooma District Hospital where she was in a stable condition, and expected to be released within a few days.

Police were first alerted to Ms Sjoberg’s disappearance by a rental car company, when she failed to return a Mitsubishi SUV which was due back six days earlier.

Locals, NPWS workers and locals all joined the search for the experienced high country hiker and photographer. Picture: Supplied

The hire car company managed to track the car with a GPS which was found in the national park unlocked and with the keys still in the ignition.

Supt Lindsay said police immediately initiated a large-scale search with officers from the Police Rescue Unit, PolAir, SES and RFS as well as concerned friends and members of the public.

“We held grave concerns for the missing woman … and we’re very glad she’s been found safe and reasonably well,” Supt Lindsay said.

Relieved friends posted on social media saying Ms Sjoberg’s survival was due to her connection with the brumbies she is so passionate about saving.

“The brumbies watched over you,” one person wrote.

Originally published as ‘She lives like an animal’: How Lovisa ‘Kiki’ Sjoberg survived 12 days and a snake bite in the Snowy Mountains bush