© 2026 Central Florida Public Media. All Rights Reserved.
90.7 FM Orlando • 89.5 FM Ocala
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Engage - Leading Conversations that Matter. Central Florida Public Media
Engage

After Sloth World deaths, Calls Grow for Stricter Regulation

By Cheryn Stone
Published May 7, 2026 at 5:21 PM EDT
Ways To Subscribe
Thirteen sloths, including the one shown above, arrived on Friday from “Sloth World Orlando” to the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens.
Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
/
Courtesy Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Elected officials are calling for investigations into the deaths of dozens of sloths that were imported to Orlando from South and Central America.

Elected officials are reviewing animal welfare rules as questions remain about the deaths of dozens of sloths.

We continue to follow the fallout surrounding the canceled Sloth World attraction planned for International Drive in the heart of Orlando’s tourist district. Elected leaders at the local, state, and federal level are calling for stricter animal welfare protections after dozens of sloths died. Central Florida Public Media Environment Reporter Molly Duerig joins Engage to explain what happens next to both the surviving animals and regulations to govern exotic animal encounters.

Engage
Cheryn Stone
Cheryn joined Central Florida Public Media after several years as a weekend news anchor at Spectrum News 13 in Orlando.
See stories by Cheryn Stone