Riflemen, bellbirds, robins, yellow crowned parakeets, yellowheads, tomtits, fantails, kaka and wood pigeons are common bush birds. Blue ducks and paradise ducks live in the valley. In the sub-alpine zone look out for rock wrens, New Zealand falcons and the mischievous mountain parrot, the kea. Introduced animals include whitetail deer in the lower Routeburn valley, red deer throughout the forested areas and chamois about the mountaintops. Possums, hares, rats and stoats are widespread.
Hunters require a permit before entering the parks.
Introduced brown and rainbow trout are found in the lower Route Burn and brown trout are present in Lake Howden. Anglers must hold a current fishing licence. The rewards of walking the Routeburn Track are many. It is one of New Zealand s most popular tracks with approximately 13000 walkers completing the track each year. The first Europeans viewed the track in 1861 and by 1870 a bridle track was commenced but never completed to link Kinloch and Martins Bay on the Fiordland Coast.