Parque Lecocq, Zoo in northwestern Montevideo, Uruguay

Parque Lecocq is a zoo in northwestern Montevideo featuring hundreds of animals in spacious enclosures. The facility displays species from around the world in areas designed to reflect their natural habitats.

The zoo is built on land that once belonged to Francisco Lecocq, an educated traveler who brought various animal and plant species back to Uruguay. His interest in wildlife formed the foundation for what the park has become.

The land belonged to Francisco Lecocq, who experimented with viniculture, arboriculture and silkworms at his Santa Lucía riverside estancia and imported special plants and purebred animals. The park keeps a recreated native woodland with indigenous vegetation and native fauna, plus a self-guided trail through the Santa Lucía wetlands, a protected ecosystem. Guided walks along the Paseo del Monte are offered.

The park lies about 19.5 km from central Montevideo in a rural area next to Santiago Vázquez, on the edge of the Santa Lucía wetlands. It can be reached by car or taxi, or by bus to Santiago Vázquez followed by a walk. A self-guided trail crosses the wetlands, and guided walks cover the native woodland; allow half a day or more.

The park houses one of the world's largest collections of Addax antelopes, an animal that has nearly vanished from the wild. These creatures play an important role in global efforts to prevent the species from disappearing completely.