Thirty-one sloths planned for a new “slothnarium” in the United States have died before the attraction’s scheduled opening, according to findings by authorities.
The mammals were intended to be featured in a permanent public exhibit at Sloth World in Orlando, Florida, which was set to open this spring.
A report released on Friday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission states that many of the sloths died as a result of conditions at a warehouse in Florida where they were shipped. Others reportedly arrived already dead or were in poor health and later died.
However, the owner of Sloth World has rejected the allegations contained in the report, insisting there is misinformation circulating.
“The truth is, we lost sloths that had a virus of which showed barely any symptoms and was undetectable even after necropsy,” Ben Agresta, the owner of Sloth World, told Fox-35 in Orlando.
The BBC said it had reached out to Sloth World, its listed owner, and representatives for comment.
Sloth World promotes itself as Orlando’s only “slotharium,” featuring a rainforest-inspired habitat “designed exclusively with sloth well-being in mind,” according to its website.
The FWC report, obtained by the BBC on Friday, details two major incidents involving the deaths of sloths before the attraction’s opening.
In December 2024, 21 sloths imported from Guyana reportedly died after being exposed to cold conditions inside a Florida warehouse, according to the report.
In a separate case in February 2025, two of 10 sloths transported from Peru arrived dead, while the remaining eight were described as “emaciated” and later died from “poor health issues.”
During the investigation, Peter Bandre, identified online as the attraction’s vice-president, told officials that the warehouse had not been properly prepared to receive the animals.
“It was too late to cancel the shipment,” he reportedly said.
He also described the deaths as a “cold stun,” according to the report.
Investigators found that the warehouse had no water or electricity, and space heaters were brought in to regulate temperature.
However, the heaters caused a power overload and shut down, leaving the facility without heat for at least one night.
The sloths, native to tropical rainforests, typically require temperatures between 70F and 86F (21C–30C). Weather records showed temperatures in Florida dropped to around 46F (7C) during the period.
The report also noted that some animals were kept in enclosures that failed to meet captive wildlife standards, leading to a verbal warning.
Despite the findings, the FWC said it closed its investigation without issuing a formal citation or written warning. A spokesperson added that other regulatory bodies are still investigating.
Meanwhile, Orange County’s Building Safety office issued a stop-work order at the warehouse, citing alleged violations of building codes and local regulations.
It remains uncertain whether Sloth World will open as planned later this year.
The FWC confirmed that the operator holds a valid wildlife permit, which allows the exhibition or sale of animals.
Local reports also suggest that more than a dozen surviving sloths intended for the attraction have been relocated to another zoo in Central Florida.
The situation has drawn criticism from lawmakers and animal welfare advocates.
Florida state Representative Anna Eskamani described the incident as exposing a “major gap” in wildlife permitting oversight, noting that authorities are not always promptly notified of animal deaths.
“If it wasn’t for everyday people who care and reported these deaths it’s hard to know when FWC would have even learned about [the deaths],” she said.
Animal welfare organisations have also raised concerns about the project. The Sloth Conservation Foundation and The Sloth Institute previously warned about the risks of removing sloths from their natural habitats.
“When removed from the forest canopy and shipped internationally to the US, sloths often suffer from serious health issues related to the change in suitable diet and exposure to an artificial environment,” Sam Trull, executive director of The Sloth Institute, said.
“For a lot of captured sloths,” he added, “this leads to their death.”
