How exactly was that saving squirrels? It was about him removing native California ground squirrels because he doesn't like them and he doesn't like the holes they dig. From what we can see of his old property, it looks very natural, quite large, and like it abuts wildlands. I'm not sure why he would care about squirrels digging a few holes (about 4 total). It's not like he grows vegetables. He doesn't even have a lawn. The squirrels are quite literally just trying to occupy their natural habitat outside. He admits in the first and second episodes that he knows he's probably just releasing them to get killed by predators and he knows he's probably leaving baby squirrels to die without their mothers, he doesn't care. California ground squirrels are communal and live in multigenerational family burrows. Females inherit their family burrow and males move to neighboring family burrows (usually less than 500ft away) once they reach sexual maturity. They alert each other when danger is nearby. They depend on their burrows for protection from predators, hibernation/estivation, food storage, and raising young. All of this makes successfully relocating them, especially single lone squirrels, almost impossible. Even scientists trying to implement introduction programs have a very hard time because translocation mortality is so high. He separated them from their families and relocated them alone, to an unfamiliar area with improper habitat, no burrow, near a busy road. The squirrels he "saved" were almost certainly killed within days to weeks from cars, predators, stress, or starvation. He also did this to two skunks in Canada. He trapped and relocated a mother skunk and one of her kits. This is potentially illegal in Canada. The mother skunk most likely abandoned her kit under the stress of the unfamiliar environment, and it's unlikely either survived. Skunks typically have litters of 4 to 8, so there might have been other kits left behind that also probably perished without their mother.
In one vid, Max is there and he half-jokingly says he wants to see the trapped squirrel go back into its hole. Me too, Max, me too.
The only kudos I can give are him are for asking Yoplait to make an animal-safe design, and for eventually turning over an orphaned baby squirrel to a rehab facility. But that was only after he and Anisa selfishly/stupidly attempted to raise it themselves for clout and content when they very easily could have and should have immediately taken it to a licensed wildlife rehab in the first place. He and Anisa wanted to feel like heroes though. Also, I highly doubt that the rehabber said "you guys did everything exactly as you were supposed to." Either she was trying to be nice, or Ian and Anisa were lying. Every animal rehabber will say, unless you are explicitly instructed to by a professional, that attempting to feed, hydrate, or medicate a wild animal does more harm than good. Just contact the rehabber straight away and follow their instructions.
