THEWILDLIFEINTEREST

Carl Barks was an environmentalist even before the term became known (see more HERE). He cared very much for all aspects of nature, and one of his favourite charities was Dave Siddon’s Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center, an animal rehabilitation center where injured and orphaned animals were cared for until they could be returned to the wild.
The center was situated just a short drive from his home, and Carl, along with his wife Garé, would visit it regularly. This was also a great opportunity for Carl to practice one of his hobbies - photography.

THE PLACE

This is an excerpt of Wildlife Images' own presentation:

Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center was founded as a non-profit corporation in 1981 to provide for the care and treatment of sick, injured and orphaned wildlife, and offer educational programs on wildlife, conservation and the environment to schools, organizations and the general public. The Center, and its programs and activities are a direct outgrowth and continuation of the late Founder/Director J. David Siddon’s personal involvement with wildlife rehabilitation and education for more than 40 years.

The organization’s clinic, Interpretive Center, and animal holding facilities are located on 24 acres of land adjacent to the wild and scenic section of Oregon's Rogue River. Animals treated at the Rehabilitation Center range from baby squirrels to grizzly bears.

Approximately 80 percent of the mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians surviving their initial injuries are returned to the wild. Animals with permanently disabling injuries that make them unable to live in the wild, if possible, are integrated into one of Wildlife Images educational programs.

Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education center is open for public tours, free of charge, throughout the year, and has a very active educational outreach component. More than 80 dedicated volunteers donate a total of nearly 1,400 hours each month to the care and treatment of the animals place in Wildlife Images’ custody.

THE MANAGERS

Founder Dave Siddon and the Barks couple were friends, and Carl took a liking to one of Dave's 'pets' - a huge grizzly bear named Griz. He came to the center as an orphan after his mother had been struck by a train, and he was injured as well. He was blind in his right eye and suffered neurological problems, and after a while it became obvious that he had grown dependant upon human companionship, so the center decided to keep him. Griz became quite tame, and Barks always remembered to look him up, when he visited. .
On this photo of Siddon and Griz Siddon wrote: To Carl & Garé - Thanks for sharing Uncle Scrooge's treasure with our wildlife! Dave Siddon and the Griz.			Griz liked human company and Barks liked Griz.
			After his father's death David Siddon Jr. took over. Here seen at the wake following Barks' funeral service in 2000.