Initially, the wildlife specimens in the Card/Riley Conservation and Wildlife Education
Center were donated by Ferris alumnus Roger Card and his late wife, Debra. Their worldwide travels and their generosity resulted in
the creation of a unique educational experience for visitors. In addition to donating
the specimens, the Cards provided funding to remodel an area to house the Center and
its collections.
Though a generous gift from the estate of the late George F. Riley, the Ferris Board of Trustees approved the renaming of the Card Wildlife Education
Center as the “Card/Riley Conservation and Wildlife Education Center” at its December 2019 meeting. The renamed facility serves as the new permanent home
for The Riley Collection, which includes animal mounts, trophies, artifacts and artwork
assembled by Riley, who passed away in January 2018.
"The Center allows people to observe these animals they may not otherwise have the
opportunity to see, realistically displayed, not just as a picture in a book," noted
Roger Card, who is a 1963 graduate of Ferris' College of Engineering Technology. "Ferris
students are able to see the animals up-close, and we've supported opening the Center
to students from local elementaries and high schools."
The Card/Riley Conservation and Wildlife Education Center reflects the hunting and
fishing culture of northern Michigan. A world-renowned hunter, Roger Card has been
honored by Safari Club International with the World Hunting Award Ring. The ring represents
the premier honor in the world of hunting.
The main exhibit area contains specimens from Michigan, North America, South America,
Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. In addition, the Center contains an Educational
Resource Center and a meeting room that can be used for small professional or community
gatherings.
The Michigan and North American Display contains more than 90 full-body and head mounts
including moose, elk, white-tailed deer, caribou, black bear, grizzly bear, polar
bear, muskox, gray wolf, red fox, cougar, and lynx. In addition, the collection includes
several fish, waterfowl, and gamebird species.
The African Display includes over 50 mounts, including lions, leopards, spotted hyena,
giraffe, white rhinoceros, hippopotamus, cape buffalo, warthog, olive baboon, and
numerous species of antelope such as gemsbok, greater kudu, lechwe, Lord Derby's eland,
bongo, and hartebeest.
The Asian Display includes over 20 mounts, including blue sheep, Mongolian gazelle,
axis deer, yak, and Siberian ibex. The European Display includes, among other specimens,
mounts of red deer and wild boar, while the Australian Display includes animals such
as the red kangaroo, wallaby, and brush-tailed possum.
The Card/Riley Conservation and Wildlife Education Center features an Educational
Resource Center that includes a library and computer facility for students conducting
wildlife research. A tactile display area enables visitors to handle many different
types of animal pelts and to compare horns and antlers. The meeting room area, which
is available for public use, is complete with projection facilities and seating for
up to 40 people.