In yet another horrifying case of wild animals being used, abused, and ultimately killed for human entertainment, more than 50 sloths have now died in connection with a Florida tourist attraction known as Sloth World Orlando.

The facility, which marketed itself as the "world's first Slotharium," reportedly imported at least 69 wild-caught sloths from Peru and Guyana to be used for public display and entertainment in the United States. Before the attraction could even fully open, dozens of these innocent animals were already dead.

Investigations revealed that many of these animals were kept in a warehouse without water or electricity after arriving in Florida. Sloth World was allegedly not prepared to receive them, yet the shipments went forward anyway, and some sloths did not survive the journey. Many more died from cold stunning, a condition caused by exposure to low temperatures that sloths are particularly vulnerable to because, unlike most mammals, they cannot regulate their own body temperature. Others died from malnourishment, severe neglect, and improper care.

Tragically, after 13 surviving sloths were rescued from Sloth World and transferred to the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens for emergency veterinary treatment, three more victims, Bandit, Habanero, and Dumpling, died as their conditions continued to worsen. The other rescued sloths are still fighting for their lives, but even if they survive, none of them can ever be returned to the wild.

These peaceful animals were ripped from their rainforest homes and trafficked into the exotic animal trade to be exploited for entertainment in what was essentially a glorified roadside attraction. Now, after enduring unimaginable suffering, they face a lifetime in captivity because the trauma they endured and the uncertainty surrounding their origins make release impossible. 

Sloths are highly specialized wild animals who belong in the forests of Central and South America, can live for more than 50 years, and play an important role in their ecosystems. Yet despite the obvious cruelty and conservation concerns surrounding this trade, businesses in the United States are still legally allowed to import wild-caught sloths for commercial display, and facilities like Sloth World are not required to report animal fatalities, meaning deaths on this scale can be hidden from regulators and the public until it is too late.

The tragedy at Sloth World exposed a dangerous system filled with loopholes, weak oversight, and little accountability for wild animals exploited for profit. Even now, sloths connected to Sloth World remain unaccounted for, and there have reportedly been no meaningful legal consequences for those responsible for the deaths of these animals.

The United States must stop allowing wild animals to be imported into this country to die in the exotic entertainment industry. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has the power to stop or severely restrict imports, close loopholes, strengthen enforcement, and prevent facilities like Sloth World from obtaining wild-caught sloths.

Take Action Now

Please join Species Unite in calling on the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to immediately halt the commercial import of wild-caught sloths into the United States and strengthen federal protections to prevent this cruel trade from continuing.