09/04/2025
🌺 Mahalo, Oki! After 40 Years, a Honolulu Zoo Legend Retires 🌺
After four incredible decades of dedication, Dwain “Oki” Uyeda is hanging up his boots (and gloves!) and heading into retirement. Oki has been a beloved part of the Honolulu Zoo ‘ohana since 1985, starting out in the bird department for just a few months before finding his true calling in reptiles—despite being afraid of geckos at first! 😅
Growing up in a local Japanese family, Oki’s grandpa used to say, “If you’re naughty, a gecko will crawl into your ear while you sleep.” That stuck with him as a kid—so much so that even after getting married at 21, he’d still sleep covering his ears! 🦎👂 But in true Oki fashion, he faced that childhood fear head-on and fell in love with reptiles.
Over the years, Oki became a master of wrangling reptiles—from monitor lizards to crocodiles—earning respect not just for his skill, but for his local style of leadership rooted in family, humility, and mutual respect with everyone he worked with.
He first joined the Zoo through a high school work credit program—and never left. Not because of the retirement benefits (“wasn’t in it for the free medical,” he jokes), but because he knew he’d found his purpose.
When asked about his favorite animals over the years, Oki always lit up recalling a few unforgettable characters. There was Elton, the croc monitor lizard he trained to fetch on command—an enrichment success story that wowed zookeepers from around the country during the AZA conference in Hawai‘i. Then there was Lani Moo the 3rd, a famous cow with a soft spot for Leonard’s malasadas, who would affectionately lick Oki during their interactions—despite the fact that he was allergic and would get itchy every time. And of course, there was Abby, the African ground hornbill who had already been part of the zoo before Oki started and was still around when he retired—forever known for proudly strutting around with food in his beak, showing it off.
Oki says one of his favorite parts of the job was meeting people from all over the world and hearing how much they loved the Honolulu Zoo. When asked what kept him going for 40 years—and what words of wisdom he’d share—Oki simply said:
“My hope is that you always remember to find the fun in your zoo. This is your zoo.”
So what’s first on his retirement adventure? A classic car show, of course—he’s been working on restoring a 1957 classic ride. 🚗💫
From all of us at the Zoo:
Mahalo nui loa, Oki. Your legacy is forever a part of this place. 🤙🏼🐾
