35 Years of Rescue, Rehab, and Release
Lifelong Lexington resident Ashton Blume can’t believe how many times she drove by the Carolina Wildlife Center over the years without realizing it even existed. One year into her tenure at the nonprofit, the Executive Director wants to make sure this one-of-a-kind rehabilitation facility is known across the state.
“The Carolina Wildlife Center was established in 1989 to rescue, rehabilitate, and release South Carolina wildlife, and we have provided a second chance to more than 100,000 animals over the past 35 years,” Blume said. “I’ve made it my mission to increase public awareness of wildlife conservation and the Center – not just who we are and what we do but also to clear up any misconceptions that many people have.”
One of the most problematic misunderstandings? The widespread assumption that tax-payer dollars help support the Center. In fact, there are zero federal or state funds allocated to the Carolina Wildlife Center (something Blume hopes to change over time), even though they work closely with government agencies like the Department of Natural Resources and provide ongoing services that are otherwise unavailable services for the state’s wildlife animal residents. Some rescue organizations generate revenue from paid tours, but the Carolina Wildlife Center operates more like a traditional hospital.
Additional misconceptions relate to the animals themselves. Though the Palmetto State is home to numerous organizations that rescue and rehabilitate mammals, the Carolina Wildlife Center is one of few that is licensed to also take in reptiles, certain birds of prey, and songbirds of any kind. Neighboring states like North Carolina and Georgia often rely on the Center as well – calling with rehabilitation questions or bringing them animals they’ve rescued.
The team, which consists of Blume as Executive Director, Director of Rehabilitation Julie McKenzie, and an army of volunteers and interns, fills a very specific niche in South Carolina by providing care for the many vulnerable species that live here. The team even plays a role in increasing their population levels by incubating, hatching, and releasing turtle eggs that would have otherwise perished.
The Center is currently home to 14 permanent residents (Education Ambassadors) –non-releasable animals ranging from Screech (goes by the name of Ruby) and Great Horned (Geehow) Owls to the newest addition, an incredibly rare Asian Mountain Tortoise that escaped from its owners’ enclosure. As part of their legal protections and the Center’s permit requirements to care for them, as well as in an effort to educate the public about them, these 14 animals serve as education ambassadors for wildlife conservation – traveling across the Midlands as part of the Center’s educational programming.
The Center also hosts summer camps to educate elementary school-age children about wildlife conservation and provide internships to high school and college students. With opportunities from rehabilitation to marketing and operations, these positions are the perfect pathways for young adults to learn about what it takes to protect these animals as well as the ins and outs of nonprofit organizations. They can also spread the word to other members of their generation – both in regard to the specialized care our state’s wildlife requires and the challenges nonprofits like the Center face in carrying out their daily activities.
The team has gotten creative about ways to raise money to support their wildlife rehabilitation efforts. They are currently working to expand their educational programming, with plans to double their programs from 75+ in 2025 to over 100 in 2026, and Blume has upped the number of grants they apply for from several a year to several each month. She also applied for the Leadership Lexington County Award earlier this year, which the Center won after a decade as runner up. This award helped facilitate the construction of a new dual owl enclosure, a new anesthesia machine, and enhance the Center’s garden beds – a key piece of their plan to become more self-sustaining.
Like many nonprofits, however, they rely primarily on the generosity of donors. That’s where awareness and education come in. “Our ability to continue providing lifesaving care to wildlife in need has stabilized since I started last year and was able to focus on development and fundraising,” Blume said. “However, Carolina Wildlife Center needs serious repair, renovations, and operational funding as we look towards the future and expanding the level of care we can offer, such as with our new anesthesia machine. There will always be expenses, so there will always be pressure to secure the funds needed to support the 3,500 – 5,000 animals that come through our doors annually. I don’t want to fundraise from a place of desperation or pressure; I want to focus on the good we’re doing – the lives we’re saving and the second chances we offer wildlife 365 days a year. By educating the public about our impact, and the absolute necessity of our organization, I have learned that many of them want to help and support us in any way they can. These animals need us and our resources as we continue to encroach on their habitats and take away their homes.”