California wildlife finds savior in Oracle's Ellison

One of the world's richest men, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, is using some of his wealth to establish a wildlife breeding and rehabilitation center in Northern California that will focus on helping endangered insects, reptiles and amphibians thrive.

The Conservation Center for Wildlife Care that the Lawrence Ellison Foundation has promised to underwrite will treat all kinds of wild animals but its captive breeding program will be devoted to local species that typically don't get much attention, including the San Francisco garter snake, the Pacific giant salamander and the vanishing Lange's metalmark butterfly, Peninsula Humane Society President Ken White told the San Jose Mercury News.

White did not disclose the size of Ellison's donation, but described it as "very significant". Based on estimates he provided, the Mercury News said the center would cost about $50 million to build. The Humane Society will run the facility and pay for staffing and maintenance.