People can now explore some of the stunning landscapes of Ecuador's Galapagos islands online on Google Street View.

The launch marks the 178th anniversary of the British scientist Charles Darwin's visit to Galapagos islands, which inspired his theory of natural selection.

The high-definition 360 degrees pictures were clicked as a joint effort by Google, the Galapagos National Park and the Darwin Foundation.

The pictures were taken with a special backpack camera during 10 days in May, 'BBC News' reported.

Many of the animals seen by Darwin in his 1835 voyage were captured on camera by Google staff.

Viewers can get a glimpse of the famous Galapagos wildlife, including marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, Frigatebirds and giant tortoises.

"The natural history of this archipelago is very remarkable: it seems to be a little world within itself," Darwin had said after visiting the islands.