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Protect Wild Sloths From Dying for Tourist Attractions

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Dozens of sloths died before a Florida attraction opened. State officials must stop this from happening again.

Protect Wild Sloths From Dying for Tourist Attractions

At least 31 sloths imported from Guyana and Peru died after they were brought to Florida for a planned Orlando attraction known as Sloth World. State records cited by news outlets describe deaths tied to cold exposure, illness, emaciation, and inadequate conditions before the attraction could open.1,2

Survivors Still Needed Emergency Care

Thirteen surviving sloths were transferred to the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens. Zoo staff found the animals underweight and dehydrated, with one needing critical care. That critically ill sloth later died after arriving at the zoo.3,6

Wild Animals Should Not Pay The Price

World Animal Protection and sloth conservation groups warned that the case shows the danger of commercial display models that rely on wild-caught animals. The surviving sloths cannot be returned to the wild and may now spend decades in human care.4,5

Tell the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to deny future permits for commercial attractions that import wild-caught sloths and to require stronger inspections before exotic animal facilities open.

More on this issue:

  1. Todd Richmond, Associated Press (26 April 2026), "Sickness, cold killed nearly 30 sloths at a Florida import warehouse in 2024 and 2025."
  2. Richard Luscombe, The Guardian (24 April 2026), "Florida officials investigate planned ‘Sloth World’ attraction after 31 sloths die in warehouse."
  3. Moná Thomas, People (28 April 2026), "Florida Zoo Receives 13 'Underweight' Sloths from Sloth World Following Reports of 31 Animal Deaths at the Attraction."
  4. World Animal Protection, World Animal Protection (22 April 2026), "Dozens of wild sloths die at Florida tourist attraction Sloth World."
  5. The Sloth Conservation Foundation, The Sloth Conservation Foundation (24 April 2026), "Press Release | Sloth World Orlando to Close After 31 Sloth Deaths; Survivors Transferred to AZA Care."

The Petition

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Executive Director Roger Young,

I urge the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to deny future permits for commercial attractions that import wild-caught sloths for public display and to strengthen pre-opening inspections for exotic animal facilities.

At least 31 sloths imported from Guyana and Peru died after they were brought to Florida for a planned Orlando attraction known as Sloth World. Reporting based on state records describes a series of preventable failures, including cold exposure, illness, poor health, and inadequate conditions before the attraction could open.

Thirteen surviving sloths were later transferred to the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens. They arrived underweight and dehydrated, and one required critical care. That animal has since died. The remaining sloths still need quarantine, treatment, and long-term placement. Conservation groups have stated that these animals cannot be returned to the wild because their health, origins, and transport risks make release unsafe.

This case shows why Florida needs stronger safeguards before exotic animal businesses receive or retain permission to hold sensitive wild species. Sloths are not props for tourist photos. They are tropical, canopy-dwelling animals with specialized needs. When a business model depends on importing wild animals for display, state regulators must demand proof that the animals can be protected before harm occurs.

The FWC should review how inspections, warnings, licensing decisions, and interagency oversight failed to prevent these deaths. It should also adopt stricter permit review for facilities that seek to import or display wild-caught sloths, require verified species-specific housing before animals arrive, and suspend or deny permits when facilities cannot meet those standards.

Florida has a duty to protect animals held under state-regulated permits. Please use your authority to prevent another Sloth World case and ensure that no business can place wild sloths at risk for entertainment.

Sincerely,

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