THE VENOMOUS SNAKES OF TEXAS

Trans-Pecos Copperhead - Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster from
Presidio County, Texas Photo courtesy of Troy and Marla Hibbitts

Gerald Keown - A Brief Biography

Gerald Keown was born and raised in the brush country of South Texas. Although his lifelong vocation has been law enforcement, his avocation for the past 50+ years has been herpetology. In addition to his herpetological interests, he is also a wildlife photographer whose work has been published in numerous outdoor and hunting publications.

Gerald Keown - Photo by Susan Keown Gerald developed a serious interest in reptiles and amphibians while in junior high school and that interest has remained over the years. According to some of his family, "That's the part of the boy in him that never grew up." Having little formal training in the field, other than a college herpetology course, most of his knowledge relating to reptiles and amphibians has been self-taught. He has had papers and notes published in Herpetologica, Journal of Herpetology, Herpetological Review, and Captive Breeding in addition to several regional publications.
Gerald's primary interest has always been the herptofauna of of the Southwestern United States and Mexico. During his life, he has spent many days and nights in the field throughout the South Texas brush country and the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. During the 1970s he obtained the necessary permits and made two trips into the interior of Mexico to

study, collect and photograph the herpetofauna of that country. Over the years, he has personally collected and/or maintained 45 of the some 82 recognized forms of rattlesnakes (Crotalus and Sistrurus). Currently, his specific herpetological interests are the rattlesnakes (Crotalus and Sistrurus), kingsnakes and milksnakes (Lampropeltis) of the Southwestern U. S. and Mexico.
His affiliations include the Texas Herpetological Society, the East Texas Herpetological Society, the West Texas Herpetological Society, and Herp Conservation Unlimited.
In 2001 he retired after serving 35 years in Texas law enforcement and spent the next six years near Cody in northwestern Wyoming. In 2007 he returned to his home state of Texas. He and his wife Susan along with their Siberian Husky 'Bear', and Golden Retreiver 'Lady' currently reside in southcentral Texas where he provides technical and consulting services on herpetology related matters as he continues to pursue his interests in both herpetology and wildlife photography.

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© 1997-2007 Gerald & Susan Keown

All images used on this site are used with permission of the photographer and are protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited without written consent of the individual photographer.