There is a disclaimer at the start of the show saying some of the situations are staged to show what should be done in those situations. Every episode he talks about people who have been in exactly the situations he is demonstrating and explains what they did or could have done to aid their situation.
I am a huge fan (I actually have a secret man-crush on him but don't tell my girlfriend
) and I think the haters should stop hating on him. I agree it hurts me every time I see a reptile killed but I'm sure the people who like fish don't like him eating them or the lovers of furry things get upset when he traps and kills one of them. If what he was doing was illegal he would have been pulled up for it and likely fined.