The Western painted turtle is a federally listed at-risk species. This reptile's habitat spreads west from Ontario, but Aviva Fialkow, who manages the Wildsight's Revelstoke branch, says this is the northern edge of its range.

The turtles are vulnerable to weather fluctuations—they like warm sun to bask in for at least six hours a day, according to Fialkow. The heat recharges the cold-blooded creatures.

Adding to their vulnerability is the fact that lay their eggs every spring on Red Devil Hill, a steep curve above the Columbia River on Airport Way.

The turtles cross the busy road, and they like to bask on the asphalt. Their nests are also exposed—they're compressions in the hard-packed dirt at the top of Red Devil Hill, just outside the cement barricade.

Roads are hazards for animals like turtles, and the Western toads, whose habitat a little further along Airport Way is also sliced through by the road.

The toads love this rain, but the turtles tend to take shelter, and their nests are right in the open.

Volunteers go on toad watches to track where toads are crossing Airport Way, and in what direction. The hope is that the data will be used to build effective toad crosswalks. Fialkow says they want to use camera traps to monitor how many turtles are laying eggs in a non-invasive fashion. This data could also be used to contribute to more protective measures for the turtles during nesting season.

Listen below, StokeFM's Meagan Deuling went and looked for nesting turtles with Aviva Fialkow. They found one despite the rain.