Josh ‘Ferret’ Neille bitten by shark in Queensland, tells Neil Mitchell why he jumped in the water

By JAKE BOURKE

A Victorian man who was bitten on the leg by a shark after jumping into the water off Far North Queensland has explained himself on 3AW Mornings.

Josh ‘Ferret’ Neille was out on a fishing trip when the group he was with hooked a lemon shark.

Neille then jumped into the water in an attempt to remove the hook. He was quickly bitten on the leg.

Click PLAY below to watch the incident

The shark was eventually dragged on board and died while Neille was being treated.

Neille, who runs a wildlife shelter, told Neil Mitchell he was actually trying to ensure the shark wasn’t killed.

‘I wasn’t going to go out there, jump on a shark and bludgeon it to death,’ Neille explained on 3AW Mornings.

‘The original plan was to release the shark and catch another one, but it wasn’t so.’

He said the incident had been ‘misconstrued’ by some sections of the media.

‘I didn’t feel threatened at all or like I was risking my life and there was no alcohol or anything like that involved,’ he said.

‘It was just one of those things that went pear-shaped.’

The electrician, who also catches snakes for his local shire, said the shark didn’t go to waste and was eaten.

‘We even used some of the leftovers for crab bait,’ Neille said.

‘It wasn’t like we slayed it and cuts its jaws off or fins and threw it back in or anything, but that was sort of how it was portrayed.’

But the thrillseeker admits he’s unlikely to try it again.

‘It probably wasn’t my wisest move,’ Neille said.

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview with Neil Mitchell