Calls for criminal investigation after mass fatalities at Sloth World Orlando
Campaigners and politicians are demanding a review of current laws and protections for sloths, following the deaths of at least 55 wild-caught sloths at the yet-to-open Sloth World Orlando
The world’s first immersive, no-touch sloth experience has announced that it will close permanently, following the news that 55 wild-caught sloths have died under its care.
Sloth World Orlando was due to open this year but has now filed for bankruptcy, amid mounting public outrage over its importation and housing of the sloths.
A total of 21 sloths, imported from Guyana in December 2024, died after being housed in a warehouse that had no electricity or running water. Space heaters were purchased, to try to keep temperatures at a tropical level. However, the heaters reportedlyshut down after tripping electrical circuits. No members of staff were present at the warehouse overnight.
In February 2025, Sanctuary World Imports imported ten sloths from Peru. Two of these were dead on arrival, while the rest appeared emaciated and in poor health, and died soon after.
None of the deaths were disclosed until six months later, when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) made an unannounced inspection of a warehouse operated by Sanctuary World Imports in August 2025.
However, no action was taken over the deaths. Instead, a verbal warning was issued, in relation to two of the sloths’ enclosures not meeting minimum size requirements under Florida Administrative Code. The inspector also noted the absence of labeling and tracking records.
A subsequent FWC report, conducted in March, found ongoing deficiencies in recordkeeping, continued reliance on temporary or substandard enclosures, and incomplete documentation regarding the sourcing and mortality of animals.
And yet the operation was allowed to continue, during which time more sloths arrived at the facility. Newly obtained documents reveal a further 21 sloths that were imported by Sanctuary World Imports have died, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths to 55. Questions are now being asked as to why and how this happened.
“Where were the laws to protect these animals? Why did Sloth World not have to declare the deaths of the sloths in their care? Why was all of this legally able to happen?” said Dr Rebecca Cliffe, of The Sloth Conservation Foundation (SloCo).
Florida Rep. Anna Eskamani has requested that the Attorney General’s Office initiate a criminal investigation into Sanctuary World Imports, which acted as a receiving center for Sloth World.
The lack of basic utilities, environmental controls, and supervision, raised serious concerns of culpable negligence, said Eskamani. She also expressed concern that only a verbal warning was issued by the FWC.
Under current regulations, Sanctuary World Imports was not required to notify the authorities of the animal deaths. Eskamani only found out about the deaths from investigative media reporting.
“That’s huge praise to our media partners, but also what a disgrace to government, to state regulators for not thinking that the public would be outraged, not thinking this was a problem, and for allowing this permit to be renewed after sloth deaths. It’s just truly unacceptable,” she told FOX 35.
Furthermore, there was nothing to protect the sloths from being captured from the wild and exported for commercial display. This is despite the fact that sloths have no history of domestication, and fare badly in captivity.
“When removed from the forest canopy and shipped internationally to the U.S., sloths often suffer from serious health issues related to the change in suitable diet and exposure to an artificial environment,” said Sam Trull, co-founder of The Sloth Institute (TSI). “For a lot of captured sloths, this leads to their death.”
As such, both TSI and SloCo had been campaigning against the opening of Sloth World Orlando.
“This kind of facility is designed to attract sloth lovers worldwide, but what about what the sloths want? Sloths are happiest when left undisturbed, high up in the forest canopy with a little bit of sunshine, a fresh breeze and ample opportunity for a good scratch,” added Trull. “I just wish loving sloths translated into leaving them in the wild.”
In late 2025, two-fingered sloths received enhanced international protections under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), following concern over increasing exports from Guyana to the U.S.
According to TSI, 1,141 sloths were imported into the U.S. between 2011 and 2021. They were all taken from the wild, with 97 percent originating from Guyana.
Campaigners are now hopeful that this tragic story will lead to positive changes in the law, including a total ban on the imports of wild-caught sloths intended for personal or commercial use to Florida and/or the U.S., as well as a review of FWC’s legal threshold for animal abuse and animal cruelty.
Following the closure of Sloth World, the remaining sloths were surrendered to the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens. After examination, the zoo’s medical team found that many of the thirteen sloths were dehydrated and underweight, with some needing critical care.
Three of these – Dumpling, Bandit, and Habanero – have since died. According to the zoo’s CEO, Richard Glover, the sloths were “fed the wrong thing for an extended period of time, maybe several months.” As a result, more deaths could follow, he added.
Please join Species Unite in calling on the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to immediately halt the commercial import of wild-caught sloths into the United States and strengthen federal protections to prevent this cruel trade from continuing.
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