In the center of the Galapagos Island lies Santa Cruz, home to the largest human settlement of the province with about 20,000 people. The National Park and the headquarters of the Charles Darwin Foundation operate here. Their task is to protect the wildlife through science and patrol.
The highlands of this island are lush, humid, and highly productive, especially for agriculture and farming. We found Galapagos giant tortoises in both their natural state and in a captive breeding and rearing program. We visited Puerto Ayora, a large town where we saw how people live in harmony with nature and how they carry out commerce under the umbrella of tourism.