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Mumi Kikuchi, PhD
founder of Chikyu Lab.
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Qualifications
PhD (Agricultural Science)
Certified Environmental Counselor (Japan)
PADI Snorkel Guide & Instructor
Emergency First Response (EFR)
Diver’s License (Sensuishi, Japan)
Affiliations
Board Member, Japan Manatee Education and Study Lab.
Researcher, Meijo University
その他
About Me
Hi, I’m Mumi Kikuchi, a manatee researcher and the founder of Chikyu Lab.
Based in Miyakojima, I create eco tours and environmental education programs where science meets the natural world.
My journey began when I was a university student. I met a manatee at an aquarium—and it was love at first sight. That single encounter changed the direction of my life.
I went on to study manatees as my research focus and earned a PhD. Since then, my work has taken me into the field—conducting research and supporting conservation projects, including long-term work related to manatees in the Amazon region and beyond.
In Japan, I also collaborate with aquariums and research partners to deepen our understanding of manatees and their behavior.
Over the years, one belief has become very clear to me: research alone isn’t enough to protect wildlife.
Even the best papers don’t always reach the people living alongside these animals. What truly matters is making scientific knowledge understandable—and turning it into something people can connect with.
That’s why I founded the Japan Manatee Education and Study Lab. in 2018 and began focusing on environmental education—sharing the wonder of wildlife, the importance of nature, and the ties between ecosystems and our daily lives.
And still, there was something missing. Some experiences can’t be fully shared inside a classroom. I wanted to bring people to the field—to the real places where nature is happening.
Japan doesn’t have wild manatees. But their close relative, the dugong, still appears in Okinawa’s waters. Dugongs are a protected natural monument in Japan, yet many people have never heard of them.
Around Miyakojima, dugong sightings have been increasing, and research has confirmed their presence in these waters—highlighting the island as an important habitat.
That is why I started Chikyu Lab here in Miyakojima: to help more people learn about the ocean ecosystem through dugongs and other marine life—and to expand science-based learning and experiences from the sea of Miyakojima.
As a researcher, and as someone who deeply cares about nature, I will continue working to protect the ocean—starting with the power of simply knowing.
Career / Background
2007
2010
2014
2018
2019
2022
2025
Began behavioral research on Amazonian manatees at Brazil’s National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA).
PhD (Agriculture), The University of Tokyo (Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences).
Researcher, Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University (~ 2025).
Launched an African manatee conservation project in Cameroon with AMCO.
Director, Japan Manatee Education and Study Lab (JAMES)
Founded Chikyu Lab
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