31 sloths planned for a new “slotharium” in Florida died before the attraction planned to open, officials have found.
The mammals were planned to be displayed in a permanent, public exhibit at Sloth World in Orlando, set to open this spring.
According to a report released Friday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), many of the sloths died due to conditions in the Florida warehouses where they were shipped. Others were already dead when they arrived in Florida or appeared in ill health and died later, the report states.
The owner of Sloth World has denied the allegations in the report and said there is “a lot of misinformation and misinformation out there right now”.
“The truth is, we’ve lost sloths that had the virus that was asymptomatic and undetectable even after necropsy,” Sloth World owner Ben Agresta told Fox-35 in Orlando.
The BBC has contacted Sloth World with listed owners and representatives.
Sloth World is advertised as Orlando’s only “slotherium,” with a rainforest-inspired habitat “designed specifically with sloths’ well-being in mind,” according to its website.
The FWC report, obtained by the BBC on Friday, cited two examples of mammals dying before plans to open the attraction.
In December 2024, 21 sloths shipped from Guyana died in a warehouse in Florida due to freezing conditions, according to an FWC report.
Then, in February 2025, two of the 10 sloths traveling from Peru arrived dead. The remaining eight “appeared frail” and later died of “debilitating health problems”, the report said.
When FWC investigators were alerted and began investigating, Peter Bandre, listed online as the attraction’s vice president, told them the sloths were not properly set up to receive dead barn animals.
Bandre told investigators: “It’s too late to cancel the shipment.”
He attributed their deaths to “cold shock”, the report adds.
The building had no water or electricity, so space heaters were purchased to keep the animals warm. But the heaters tripped a fuse and shut down, the report states.
For at least one night, the sloths were in a building without heat, the researchers found. The animals are native to tropical rainforests and typically live in areas with temperatures ranging from 70-86F (21-30C).
The report states that the sloths arrived in Florida on December 18, 2024. Historical weather data shows a high of 46F (7C) the following week.
In its investigation, the FWC also found that in two instances, sloths in Bandre’s care were in cages that did not meet captive wildlife requirements. A verbal warning was given at that time.
In its promotional material, Sloth World describes Bandre as “one of the world’s most respected sloth experts”.
FWC closed its investigation into the animal’s death without a written warning or citation, an agency spokesman told the BBC. However, there were other regulatory agencies investigating, the spokesperson said.
Orange County’s Office of Building Safety posted a stop work order Thursday at the barn where the animals are kept. A report obtained by the BBC from the agency cited alleged violations of state building codes and county regulations.
It’s unclear if the attraction, located along Orlando’s popular tourist corridor, will open as planned later this year.
The FWC said the owner of Sloth World has a wildlife permit on file. A permit allows individuals or businesses to exhibit or sell wildlife.
Local media also reported that more than a dozen remaining sloths are set to be part of the attraction now being cared for by another zoo in Central Florida.
The revelations about Sloth World have prompted criticism from many lawmakers and animal rights advocates.
Florida State Representative Anna Escamani said the case exposed a “huge gap” in wildlife permits, as the FWC was not required to be aware of the animal’s death.
“It’s hard to know when the FWC would have known if it weren’t for the everyday people who care about and report these deaths. [the deaths]” added the Democratic lawmaker.
Over the months, the Sloth Conservation Foundation and the Sloth Institute had raised concerns about the planned opening of Sloth World.
“After being removed from the forest canopy and transported internationally to the United States, sloths often suffer from severe health problems associated with changes in suitable diets and artificial environments,” said Sam Trull, executive director of the Sloth Institute.
“For many captive sloths,” he added, “it leads to their death.”
