COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Carolina Wildlife Center is in dire need of your help.
The center cares for birds, squirrels, and turtles. But, right now, getting the birds fed is a top priority.
The need is specifically for live mealworms, wax worms, crickets, minnows, and herring.
On Thursday, the non-profit had their weekly shipment of 160,000 worms and crickets go bad.
"The shipment that we had, got delayed and the supplier can't guarantee in this kind of weather, in this kind of heat, that that shipment, they would still be alive and healthy," interim executive director Janie Lauve said. "We don't want to feed our patients dead worms because it could affect their rehabilitation."
These 160,000 worms and crickets were meant to feed hundreds of aerial insectivores such as swallows, purple martins, and chimney sweeps.
The group needs monetary donations from the public to keep these birds alive.
On Friday, they received over 1,000 crickets.
Les and Ann Grammer, loyal donors, dropped off some habitat boxes.
"We think that all life is valuable whether it's an animal or a person," Les Grammer said.
"Our wildlife, our native wildlife, is key to a vibrant and healthy ecosystem, and whatever we can do to rehabilitate them and release them back into their natural habitats, that's our mission, that's what we do," Lauve said.
Not only was their bird food shipment canceled Thursday, but they're also short-staffed and overcrowded with animals.
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The non-profit needs more volunteers to help with cleaning, meal prep, and animal transportation and they're hiring animal caretakers.
The center's interim director tells News19 they're taking any and all help they can get.
"Right at this point we are in urgent need," Lauve said.
Donations can be dropped off at 5551 Bush River Road.
The center is not allowing people inside the building because of COVID, but donors can ring the doorbell or knock for someone to come and pick up the donation.