The islands were officially discovered by the Bishop of Panama, Friar Tomas de Berlanga, on March 10, 1535. His vessel was caught in a storm sailing from Panama to Callao, Peru. And, later in a dispatch written to the King, he reported descriptions of incredible tame animals, enormous tortoises, and unusual iguanas. Located 1,000 kms (600 miles off the coast) in the Pacific Ocean, the archipelago is a National Park. In effort to preserve the islands, UNESCO declared them a World Heritage Site.