🐢 Roads are one of the biggest threats to freshwater turtles as they cut through their habitat, forcing them to cross traffic as they move between water and land. The Western Painted Turtle is the only native freshwater turtle species in British Columbia and is considered at-risk in the province. These turtles used to be widespread across the southern valleys and lowlands of BC, however, habitat loss caused by urban development, wetland drainage, and road construction has significantly reduced