In a distressing turn of events, 31 sloths perished in a warehouse in Orlando, Florida, while awaiting transport to a new conservation centre, Sloth World Orlando. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has confirmed that these incidents occurred between December 2024 and February 2025, sparking outrage among lawmakers and animal welfare advocates.
Appalling Conditions Revealed
Florida State Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost expressed his shock, stating, “I am appalled to hear about the 31 sloths who died under the ‘care’ of the not yet opened Sloth World in Orlando.” He highlighted the dire circumstances these animals faced, taken from their natural habitats and confined in inadequate conditions that lacked proper heating and sanitation. The FWC detailed in their incident report that the sloths were held in an unprepared facility that fell victim to temperature drops due to heating failures, leading to a condition known as “cold stun.”
The sloths were brought in through two shipments, with the first group arriving on December 18, 2024. This shipment included 21 sloths from Guyana, comprising 15 two-toed and six three-toed sloths. A second shipment of ten two-toed sloths from Peru followed in February 2025. Unfortunately, the facility was ill-equipped, lacking essential utilities like electricity and running water at the time of the first arrival.
Causes of Death and Investigations
The FWC’s report attributed most deaths to cold stun, exacerbated by the facility’s failure to maintain a stable environment. On December 22, temperatures fell to a chilling 46 degrees Fahrenheit. Although space heaters were deployed to combat the cold, there was a failure in the system that left the sloths without heat for at least one night.
The second shipment also suffered severely; two sloths arrived dead, while the remaining eight were found in poor health and later succumbed. Despite these alarming findings, state investigators opted against imposing fines or formal violations, issuing only
