Welcome! The Japan Manatee Education and Study Lab (JAMES) is an academic institution established by the only manatee researcher in Japan with the support of her colleagues. Manatees are large aquatic mammals whose ecology is filled with mystery. Because they live in shallow waters and are close to humans, they are impacted by poaching and environmental pollution and are on the verge of extinction.
Through our research efforts, we aim to better understand the ecology of manatees and make them known to as many people as possible. Additionally, we hope to bring our knowledge and experience to develop and implement environmental education programs that teach others to know, think, talk, and take action.
ACTIVITIES
What We Do
Behavioral Research in Reintroduction of Captive-Raised Amazonian Manatees
In the Amazon region of Brazil and Peru, there is a project to return the protected Amazonian manatees to the wild by releasing them back into the river. Dr. Mumi Kikuchi, a member of the Wildlife Research Center at Kyoto University, is participating in the project to return manatees to the wild and research their behavior after release.
Manatee Protection Efforts
We are working with the African Marine Mammal Conservation Organization (AMMCO) in Cameroon to protect African manatees by taking measures to prevent the bycatch of manatees, providing environmental education to schools and local communities, and eradicating the invasive plant Salvinia Moleasta, which thrives in the manatee habitat.
Environmental Education
The first step in solving various environmental problems is to know. We aim to provide environmental education that inspires people to know, think, talk, and take action.
We develop and distribute educational materials and hold workshops. All of our educational materials and resources can be used within the scope of personal use. The use of the information on our website is subject to the Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use.
TEAM
Who We Are
Arisa Torisu
Representative Director/Company Employee
Shota Tanaka
Auditor/Company Employee
Shiro Kohshima
Educational Material Supervisor/ Professor Emeritus, Kyoto University
Mumi Kikuchi
Director/Ph.D. (Agriculture)/Researcher at Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University
Akihiro Tomita
Director/Elementary School Teacher
Kotaro Ichikawa
Director/Ph.D. (Information Science)/Associate Professor at Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University
Hiroshi Kokubo
Public Relations Support/Hitoshizuku Co., Ltd. Representative
RESOURCES
Free Manatee Activity Downloads
Free manatee and environmental education materials for children and families.
What kind of Animal is the African Manatee?
Manatees living in African lakes are often disliked by fishermen because they get tangled in their nets and can break them. In this comic, we'll learn about how Manatees are being protected in Cameroon and discuss the coexistence of humans and endangered animals.
Cut and Glue African Manatees/Sperm Whale/Loggerhead Turtle Craft
The African Manatee, Sperm Whale, and Loggerhead Turle are facing a challenge. You can help them by improving their environment. Cut and glue the illustrations to help the animals!
Supervision: Aoki Kagari (PhD.), Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Tomoko Narazaki (PhD.), Meijo University, Mumi Kikuchi (PhD.), JAMES / Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University
The Domino Effect - The Importance of Biodiversity
What are the impacts of the loss of biodiversity? What can be done to protect biodiversity? Learn about this topic with easy-to-understand illustrations.
Supervision: Shiro Kohshima, Professor Emeritus, Kyoto University