UPDATE (11/12/26): After collecting more than 4,000 signatures calling for an end to wild sloth imports, Species Unite delivered our petition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Now, following the introduction of the bipartisan SLOTHS Act in Congress, we are turning our attention to reaching out to individual members of Congress. Will you join us? Even if you signed the original petition, please follow the steps below to write a letter. It only takes a minute and can make a huge difference.
In the spring of 2026, news broke of yet another horrifying case of wild animals being used, abused, and ultimately killed for human entertainment, as dozens of sloths were found to have died in connection with a Florida tourist attraction known as Sloth World Orlando.
The facility, which marketed itself as the “world’s first Slotharium,” imported approximately 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 open, dozens of these innocent animals were already dead.
State records documented the deaths of 31 sloths between December 2024 and February 2025 alone, including animals housed in a facility without running water or electricity, and none of these deaths were disclosed until state wildlife officials made an unannounced inspection months later. Reports indicated that some sloths 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, while former staff described inconsistent diets, tick infestations, and caretakers learning proper sloth care on the job. Despite the heavy losses, the shipments continued, and more sloths died.
Tragically, after the final 13 surviving sloths were rescued from Sloth World and transferred to the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens for emergency veterinary treatment, five more victims, including Willow, Bandit, Habanero, and Dumpling, died as their conditions continued to worsen. In total, 58 sloths lost their lives and the survivors can never 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, the survivors face a lifetime in captivity because the trauma they endured and the uncertainty surrounding their origins make release impossible.
The case sparked widespread outrage, yet in September 2026, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office concluded its investigation without bringing any criminal charges. Experts consulted in the investigation found that the sloths were likely already sick before they arrived, with their health problems beginning as soon as they were captured from the wild and held in facilities prior to export. Under Florida law as it exists today, no one has been held accountable for the deaths of these animals.
The tragedy at Sloth World exposed a dangerous system filled with loopholes, weak oversight, and little accountability for wild animals exploited for profit. 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, even though up to 90% of sloths taken from the wild die during capture and transport.
Fortunately, lawmakers from Florida are now taking action. Democratic Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost and Republican Representative Laurel Lee have introduced the bipartisan Stopping Legalized Organized Trafficking and Harm to Sloths Act, or the SLOTHS Act (H.R. 10867), which would ban the import of sloths into the United States, with limited exceptions for scientific research involving deceased sloths and for transferring eligible captive sloths to accredited zoos for conservation breeding programs. Violators would face civil penalties of up to $20,000 and criminal fines of up to $100,000.
The United States must stop allowing wild animals to be imported into this country to suffer and die in the exotic entertainment industry. The SLOTHS Act would finally close the door on this cruel trade and ensure that what happened at Sloth World never happens again.
Take Action Now
If you live in the United States, send a message to your representative asking them to cosponsor this important legislation. If Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost or Representative Laurel Lee is your member of Congress, the form will allow you to send a note thanking them for their leadership on this issue.
If you live outside the U.S., you can help by sharing this petition on social media to raise awareness of this urgent issue.
