Former zoo reptile expert Sean McKeown dead at 58

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

Sean McKeown, a former curator of reptiles at the Honolulu Zoo and one of the experts who worked to keep the brown tree snake away from Hawai'i, died July 11 at Stanford Medical Center in California. He was 58.

McKeown, of Los Osos, Calif., specialized in reptiles and amphibians. He wrote hundreds of articles and several books, including "The Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians in the Hawaiian Islands," "The Hawaiian Animal Life Coloring Book" and "The Keeping and Breeding of Day Gecko Lizards."

McKeown served for more than 20 years in zoos, including curator of reptiles at the Honolulu Zoo and the Chaffee Zoological Gardens in Fresno, Calif., where he promoted conservation and breeding of endangered reptiles and amphibians worldwide.

After leaving Hawai'i, McKeown remained an advocate for Hawaiian wildlife preservation, working with former Honolulu Zoo director Paul Breese as a part of the successful Brown Tree Snake Control Group formed to keep the snake away from Hawai'i.

"The country has lost one of its most brilliant, hard-working and active leaders in wildlife conservation of this era," Breese said. "We will dearly miss him."

McKeown is survived by his wife, Wendy, and his daughters, Dorie and Casey.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. July 20 at Unity of San Luis Obispo, 1490 Southwood Drive, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Nature Conservancy.