TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung’s National Museum of Natural Science (NMNS) renewed its memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA) on Monday (April 22), agreeing to jointly open a Central Taiwan Marine Conservation Education Center.

According to an NMNS press release, Director Chiao Chuan-chin (焦傳金) said that, with the support of the OCA, they will establish the education center to promote “satoumi.” Originating from Japanese, the term means “living with the seas,” and refers to areas along the coast where humans and shallow marine ecosystems coexist, the director said.

Chiao said the NMNS has over 60 researchers in various fields, with a wealth of talent in marine biology, per CNA. In addition to collections and research on marine invertebrates, there are also studies on fossils and extant marine mammals, he added.

“In recent years, we have conducted research on ancient and modern cetaceans, discovering and publishing new fossil species records, exploring the ancient ecology of marine mammals in Taiwan, and focusing on the population research of rare species such as the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin and the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise,” Chiao said.

This year, the museum launched a new exhibit called “Nature’s Wonderland,” presenting the museum’s research achievements in marine biology and Taiwan’s marine life.

Chiao said World Earth Day (April 22) is a global environmental protection movement. “In honor of the day, the museum showcases its research, collections, and other aspects, inviting everyone to explore the mysteries of various organisms at the museum,” he said.

The center is expected to open in July, CNA reported.