The Taboga group, including neighbouring Urabá, Taboguilla and Chamá Islands, has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant breeding colonies of brown pelicans.

Other resident birds include brown boobies, neotropic cormorants, great egrets and black-crowned night-herons, as well as an endemic subspecies of streaked saltator.

The small town of San Pedro was founded in 1524 by Hernando de Luque, dean of the Panama cathedral.

[3] In 1671 during Henry Morgan's sack of Panama English privateers led by Robert Searle raided and scoured the island as well as ones nearby looking for treasure and captives.

The island has become a popular touristic attraction due to its natural areas and its proximity to Panama City.