31 Sloths Died in a Cold Warehouse Ahead of Orlando Attraction Opening

An animal facility in Orlando, Florida, was shut down before it even opened after dozens of sloths suffered a cruel death while being prepared for display in an exhibit. Thirty-one sloths died in transit and in the care of Sloth World Orlando ahead of the attraction’s grand opening, according to a report by state wildlife officials. The sloths were brought in from Guyana and Peru, and the majority of them died in a warehouse that was reportedly not well equipped to house the animals. The deaths took place between December 2024 and February 2025. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) later uncovered the incident during an unannounced routine inspection in August 2025, which led to an investigation. Sloth World is described as an indoor 7,500-square-foot facility designed to house 40 sloths across multiple species. The tourist attraction had placed an order for 21 sloths from Guyana, 15 two-toed sloths and six three-toed sloths, which arrived in December 2024. Before the sloths arrived in Orlando, the building at Sloth World did not have electricity or water and was not ready to receive the animals, according to the report. It was, however, too late to cancel th