Sloth Deaths in Warehouse Linked to Cold Conditions

The mammals were intended to be showcased at a permanent, public exhibit at Sloth World in Orlando, set to open this spring. The FWC report, released on Friday, stated that many of the sloths died due to conditions at a Florida warehouse where they’d been shipped. Others arrived in Florida already dead or appeared in ill health and later died.

Ben Agresta, the owner of Sloth World, denied allegations in the report and said there is “so much false and inaccurate information out there right now.” He claimed that some sloths had a virus that showed barely any symptoms and was undetectable even after necropsy.

Cold Stun and Other Violations Found

The FWC report outlined two instances of the mammals dying ahead of the attraction’s planned opening. In December 2024, 21 sloths shipped from Guyana died due to cold conditions at a warehouse in Florida. Then in February 2025, two of 10 sloths traveling from Peru arrived dead. The remaining eight “appeared emaciated” and later succumbed to “poor health issues,” according to the report.

Peter Bandre, listed online as the attraction’s vice-president, told investigators that the warehouse where the sloths died was not properly set to receive the animals. He attributed their deaths to a “cold stun,” as the building had no water or electricity. Space heaters were used to keep the environment warm, but the heaters tripped a fuse and shut down. For at least one night, the sloths were in the building without heat.

Sloth World’s website describes the attraction as Orlando’s only “slotharium,” with a rainforest-inspired habitat “designed exclusively with sloth well-being in mind.” The animals are native to tropical rain forests and typically live in areas with temperatures ranging from 70F-86F (21C-30C). Historical weather data shows that lows hit 46F (7C) the week following the arrival of the sloths on 18 December 2024.

Permit in Place, Other Investigations Ongoing

The FWC closed its investigations into the animal deaths without a written warning or citation, an agency spokesperson told the BBC. However, several other regulatory bodies are still investigating the matter.

The Orange County’s Building Safety office on Thursday posted a stop work order at the warehouse where animals had been housed. A report from the agency noted alleged violations of state building codes and county rules. It is unclear whether the attraction, located in a popular tourist corridor in Orlando, will open as planned later this year.

Local media has also reported that more than a dozen remaining sloths set to be part of the attraction are now being cared for by another zoo in Central Florida. The FWC said the owner of Sloth World has a permit for wildlife on file. The permit allows individuals or businesses to exhibit or sell wildlife.

The revelations have prompted criticism from lawmakers and animal rights advocates. Florida state Rep. Anna Eskamani said the case exposed a “major gap” in wildlife permits, as FWC is not required to be alerted to animal deaths. She added that without people who care and report these deaths, it’s hard to know when FWC would have learned about the incident.

Over the months, the Sloth Conservation Foundation and the Sloth Institute had both expressed concern over Sloth World’s planned opening. Sam Trull, executive director of The Sloth Institute, said that 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. He added that for a lot of captured sloths, this leads to their death.