Santa Cruz Island is the second largest island of the Galapagos Islands archipelago in Ecuador. It was discovered in the 16th century by Spanish navigators and has been an important point of reference for explorers, scientists and tourists throughout history.

During the era of exploration, the island was used as a base of operations for pirates who prowled the area in search of treasure. Later, the island became an important wildlife conservation center, thanks to the efforts of naturalist Charles Darwin, who visited the island in the 19th century and conducted research that led to the development of his theory of evolution.

Today, Santa Cruz Island is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Galapagos Islands, with a wealth of fauna and flora unique in the world. Tourists can visit different sites of interest such as the Charles Darwin Research Station, where research and conservation programs for endangered species are carried out.