Man, 62, survives on ants for six days in remote Australian desert after going missing

A handout photo taken and released by the Western Australia Police on Oct 13, 2015, shows Mr Reg Foggerdy ,62, who disappeared on Oct 7 heading to the Shooter's Shack camp near Laverton in the West Australian Goldfields, some 950km north-east of Perth on a hunting trip, being comforted by police trackers after his discovery. Mr Foggerdy was missing for six days in a remote Australian desert in searing heat without water before being found after surviving by eating black ants, police said. PHOTO: AFP
Goldfields Police superintendent Andy Greatwood said the man had been sitting under the same tree for the last two days, with no water during his ordeal. PHOTO: WESTERN AUSTRALIA POLICE

PERTH, Australia (AFP) - A man missing for six days in a remote Australian desert in searing heat without water was found on Tuesday after surviving by eating black ants, the police said.

Mr Reg Foggerdy, 62, disappeared on Oct 7 heading to the Shooter's Shack camp near Laverton in the West Australian Goldfields, some 950km north-east of Perth, on a hunting trip.

When he failed to return, family members raised the alarm and a search by police trackers finally found him 15km from where he went missing.

Goldfields Police superintendent Andy Greatwood said Mr Foggerdy had been sitting under the same tree for the last two days, with no water during his ordeal.

"He was eating black ants, that's how he survived, so fantastic survival skills by him, and fantastic skills by our trackers who found him in an extremely remote location," he told the West Australian newspaper.

"He was extremely dehydrated, a bit delusional, but we've administered first aid and rehydrated him and it's pleasing to say he is now sitting up and talking.

"It was extremely hot, extremely remote, and most people probably wouldn't have survived."

His relieved sister Christine Ogden, who said her brother was an experienced bushman, told ABC radio: "I'm going to get him to get a satellite phone."

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