Hellbenders, lovingly referred to as "snot otters", are the largest species of s native to rivers in the Appalachian region of the United States. Due to river pollution and silt deposition, Hellbender populations have nearly disappeared in most rivers where they used to thrive fifty years ago. I followed a team of Ohio University conservational biology researchers that hopes their work will contribute to Hellbenders becoming a federally protected species. We visited two hellbender nesting sites in Western Pennsylvania, and I documented the team as they recorded the health of the nests' males and eggs.