Mr. Ginger, the youngest of 13 sloths to recently arrive at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens from a now-canceled Orlando attraction known as Sloth World, died Friday afternoon. He was estimated to be between 4-6 months old, according to the zoo.
“He was a fighter, and he held on despite the odds,” the zoo said in a prepared statement announcing Mr. Ginger’s death. “Though our staff made every effort to give him the best possible chance at survival, his condition did not improve, and our team made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize him.”
Mr. Ginger is the fourth sloth to die at the zoo after arriving there for care from Sloth World, a canceled attraction previously planned for Orlando’s International Drive. At least 61 sloths were imported from South America for the attraction between 2024 and this year, and at least 56 of them have died, according to state records, necropsy reports and information from the zoo.
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Like the other three sloths that recently died at the zoo, Mr. Ginger arrived there in very poor condition, coming from a warehouse just down the street from where Sloth World was planned to open. While at the zoo, Mr. Ginger was hand-fed every few hours, spending much of his time in an incubator to regulate his body temperature.
“He was a fighter, and he held on despite the odds,” the zoo said in a prepared statement. “We are deeply saddened by this loss. We know those who are following this story are too.”
Sloth imports are temporarily banned in Florida, until July 10th, according to an executive order issued earlier this week by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Most live sloth shipments into the United States come through the Port of Miami, according to research published by The Sloth Institute.
RELATED: Florida temporarily halts import of sloths into state, following animal deaths
Sloth Institute co-founder Sam Trull is one of two leading sloth experts who recently came to Central Florida to meet with lawmakers and advocate for stronger animal welfare protections. Earlier this week, Trull reacted to the news of Florida’s temporary ban on sloth imports, calling it a “huge step” in the right direction. Ultimately, Trull and Sloth Conservation Foundation Executive Director Rebecca Cliffe hope that ban will become permanent at the state and federal level.
RELATED: Sloth experts, elected officials push for change to better protect animal welfare
The zoo said it remains committed to caring for the remaining nine sloths, and hopes for brighter days ahead.
