The chain of events that killed dozens of sloths brought to Central Florida as part of a proposed Sloth World attraction is sparking outrage.
The animals were imported from South America and transferred to a warehouse on I-drive in the heart of Orlando’s tourist district. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission inspection records of Sloth World show that facility intended to house multiple shipments of sloths lacked consistent power, water, and reliable heat.
Thirteen sloths survived. They were brought to the Central Florida Zoo in need of around-the-clock care. Unfortunately, one of them named Bandit had to be euthanized after becoming unresponsive yesterday. That was despite continuous care from vets including fluid therapy, assisted feedings, blood monitoring, and vitamin and glucose supplementations.
Richard Glover, CEO of the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens, says the other 12 are stable. He is cautiously optimistic but wants people to understand that the sloths all have serious issues and none of them were healthy when they arrived on Friday April 24. Glover says they picked up the sloths and brought them back to the zoo after the owner of Sloth World called and asked if they would be interested in taking the animals. Glover discusses the rescue efforts and ways the public can support them.
State investigators looking into Sloth World report that many died from cold stress while others arrived in poor health and did not survive. The investigation also found that additional sloths continued to die even after the state began looking into the operation.
Bobby Fokidis is an animal physiologist and biology professor at Rollins College. He explains why sloths are especially vulnerable to transport stress and the animal welfare concerns that come with it.
For days, several people at Central Florida Public Media reached out to Sloth World owner Ben Agresta and Peter Bandre who was the vice president. We never got a response to our emails, texts, or phone calls.
