All of those animals would soon die if they were not able to receive care from someone knowledgeable about such delicate, wild creatures.

These particular animals did survive, along with thousands of other birds and animals, because they received the emergency care they needed from the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley, a nonprofit organization that specializes in meeting the needs of injured or abandoned animals found in the local area. The center's mission is to take care of wild animals, rehabilitate them and then release them back into the wild.

Trudy Burney of Saratoga has been involved with the center for almost five years. Originally, Burney worked in the high-tech field but wanted an opportunity to "give something back" to the community. While wandering into the center to bring in an injured bird, Burney was inspired to the extent that she ended up volunteering. Later, she was voted in as the president of the organization, which has more than 150 members who aided 5,490 animals last year alone and provided 55,000 hours of work.

Burney has found the position not only challenging but also extremely satisfying. "The most rewarding part of it is found every time I release an animal back into its natural habitat, but it takes money to do that," says Burney.

Burney feels her most crowning achievement while president has been securing funding from the eight cities that they service, including, most recently, San Jose. The majority of the funding comes primarily from donors and individual memberships, which help to pay for animal care, educational programs and salaries for the three people on staff at the center. The wildlife center does not receive funding from the California Department of Fish and Game and relies on the donations it receives.

Caring for the animals, especially young fawns, proves to be an expensive endeavor, according to Sophie Duckett of Saratoga. "We have to feed the fawn specially formulated milk that is high in fat," says Duckett. "It is made for black-tailed deer and costs $100 a bucket and lasts for only two weeks."

Duckett has done more than just volunteer at the center—she brought part of the center home with her. Her Saratoga backyard has become one of the three deer rehabilitation units that are an extension of the wildlife center.

Duckett warns that although deer can sometimes become sick, injured or abandoned, the most fatal problem they face is "over rescuing."

"Babies have an instinct to crouch and hide when their mothers are away and will return later for their babies," says Duckett. She explains that well-intentioned people usually find the fawn and bring them to the center, not realizing that their mothers will usually return for them later. She does advise people to call the wildlife center if the mother has not returned within 10 to 12 hours, since it might mean that the mother has been injured or killed.

"Deer cannot handle a lot of anxiety or stress," warns Duckett. The wildlife center had four fawns that had been found just last week. Unfortunately, two of the four-pound animals died within a couple of days, but the remaining two seem strong and healthy.

Over rescuing is also a problem with species other than deer. Many times someone stumbles across a different type of mammal or bird and does not realize that an animal's mother is most likely in the area. Not seeing the mother, the rescuer picks up the baby and takes it to the center. Duckett suggests calling the center before picking up any animal.

Carmel De Bertaut, an animal care coordinator at the center, says adult deer and rabbits are away from their young most of the day to avoid drawing predators to them. She says the center's goal is to keep "as many young animals as possible with their parents this year."

Another common misconception seen by the center is that birds will abandon their young once humans have touched them. The misconception is that the baby will smell of humans and be rejected—but, in fact, birds have no sense of smell.

"We try to educate people about what to do and often tell them to leave the animal or return it to where they found it," says De Bertaut.

May is a unique month for the center, not only because so many wild animals are born in this season but because the wildlife center is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month. The center recently moved to its new facility inside Penitencia Creek Park in San Jose, where members of the public deliver sick, orphaned or injured birds and mammals. Skilled volunteers then allow the animal to de-stress and conduct a full examination.

During an exam, volunteers look for signs of shock, dehydration, emaciation and infections. Immediate treatment includes tube feeding, suturing or medication. Occasionally an animal visits a veterinarian that does pro bono work like x-raying and pinning wings.

While some animals are treated and released in as little as 24 hours, most animals require long-term care. Those that stay at the center long-term include babies who have been separated from their parents. The center has volunteers who care for babies on-site and at their homes until the animals have grown enough to care for themselves in the wild.

A small group of about 15 individuals raised enough money to open the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley in 1993 and staff it with volunteers for three years. The center was opened when the Humane Society of Santa Clara Valley had to close its wildlife department 10 years ago due to a lack of funding.

The funding it does receive doesn't just provide care for the animals—it also educates the public about conservation issues and teaches people how to live harmoniously with deer, possum, bobcats, coyote and the other 100 species that the center cares for.

Since city buildings and infrastructure are encroaching upon wildlife habitat, the center educates the public about the animals surrounding them. It sponsors an outreach program that educates students in elementary school through college about animals and offers classes year-round to volunteers and members free of charge.

Since the facility is not open 24 hours a day, the Humane Society accepts wild animals for the facility while it's closed. And organization volunteers transport the animals to the center twice a day, seven days a week.

Workers explain that feeding the animals is the most difficult, scary and crucial part of the animal care.

"It's an art form, feeding them, because a couple dozen cute little mouths are open and you have to remember which ones you fed," says volunteer Carol Evans, who works in the bird and squirrel room at the wildlife center. "It's a judgment call about how much to give them because you can kill them if you feed too often."

The center recently introduced ducks in the center's care to their natural environment by building four recirculating ponds, complete with waterfalls, rocks and sod.

All the labor was donated, so a project that would have cost $25,000 only cost $10,000 and will be home to 500 or more ducklings that will use the ponds to swim in this season.

A proper duck pond is especially important because they stay at the center longer than most animals—three months from hatching to release. At 87 percent, the survival rate of ducks is also the highest among all the animals released from the center.

Last year the release rate of birds of prey was 40 percent, as compared to 61 percent for mammals.

Since the center isn't large enough to house the large quantity of animals that come in daily, some volunteers take home squirrels or birds. About 650 Eastern gray and Eastern fox squirrels are taken home from the center.

Other mammals that come into the center include rabbits, bobcats, raccoons, gophers, skunks and coyotes. The center only accepts native North American species.

When the animals have been rehabilitated or have grown enough to sustain themselves, they are released into the wild.

The "soft release" consists of opening the cage door and feeding the bird outside the aviary to gradually wean it from humans. De Bertaut says that freeing the animal "is truly the best part of the job."

On an annual basis, the center sends reports to the California Department of Fish and Game regarding the well-being of its birds and mammals and to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about its migratory birds.

Volunteer Carol Evans explains, "A majority of volunteering is grunge work, like disinfecting things to make sure no diseases spread," she says. "The wildlife center does great work, but it's not the ideal situation for an animal. We work to help get them back out to the wild, where they belong."

To donate, volunteer or receive advice on an injured animal, call the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley at 408.929.WILD or visit their website at www.wcsv.org.