31 sloths die in warehouse en route to Orlando exhibit, officials saynewsline24

A Florida lawmaker said he was “appalled” after learning that more than two dozen sloths died in an Orlando warehouse en route to a conservation attraction in the state.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the 31 sloths died between December 2024 and February 2025 while being held at a warehouse facility tied to the upcoming Sloth World Orlando, which has yet to open. The deaths were detailed in a FWC incident report.

“I am appalled to hear about the 31 sloths who died under the ‘care’ of the not yet opened Sloth World in Orlando,” Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost, who represents Central Florida and Orlando, said in a social media post.

“These sloths — naturally solitary animals — were put in the worst conditions possible. They were taken from their natural habitats to a packed warehouse that wasn’t properly heated and allowed for the spread of deadly viruses, leading to a stress-induced death,” he continued, adding that his office is investigating the situation.

Investigators said the animals arrived in two separate shipments. The first, which arrived on December 18, 2024, contained 21 sloths from Guyana, including 15 two-toed and six three-toed sloths. The second, which arrived in February 2025, contained another 10 two-toed sloths from Peru. All were housed in a warehouse just minutes from the future attraction site.

However, the facility was not ready when the first group of animals arrived, lacking both electricity and running water. Officials were also told it was “too late to cancel the shipment,” according to the report.

The majority of the deaths were linked to “cold stun,” a condition caused by exposure to low temperatures, the report says.

Space heaters were brought in to address the temperatures but ,at some point, the fuse tripped, leaving the sloths without heat for at least one night, according to the report.

On December 22, temperatures dropped to 46 degrees.

The second shipment fared no better. Two sloths from Peru were already dead upon arrival, while the remaining eight “appeared emaciated and in very poor health,” and later died, officials said.

Despite the findings, state investigators did not issue fines or formal violations. They did note some cage compliance issues and issued only a verbal warning.

The warehouse was operated at the time of inspection by licensed wildlife handler Peter Bandre and co-owned by Benjamin Agresta, owner and president of the Sloth World attraction, according to the report. However, Fox 35 Orlando reports Bandre is no longer a co-owner and is not involved in the project.

One of the former co-owners, who was not publicly identified by Fox 35 Orlando, challenged the FWC’s findings, alleging the sloths actually died from a virus rather than the “cold stun.”

“Recently, our facility has been managing a difficult situation involving a foreign virus. We have worked tirelessly alongside our veterinarian, the Florida Department of Agriculture, and other outside experts to successfully identify the virus and address it,” he said in a statement.

“We are aware of rumors such as claiming that our sloths were ‘cold-stunned’ or left without water and electricity. These claims are entirely false. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission conducted a thorough inspection of our facility just last week, found absolutely no wrongdoings, and fully renewed our license.”

“We have always prioritized the health and well-being of our animals, investing millions into their care and habitats. We remain deeply committed to the continued care, safety, and health of our sloth population,” the statement continued.

Sloth World markets itself as the world’s only “slothnarium” and was slated to open in March this year. However, much of the website and the attraction’s social media presence now appear to be offline, Fox 35 reports. The attraction claims its mission is educational, offering visitors insight into sloths while housing them in a protected, research-based environment tailored to their natural needs. Once open, Sloth World intends to offer hour-long, non-contact tours of an indoor rainforest setting, priced at $49, as part of what it describes as an “ethical, expert-led” experience.

That timeline may now be in doubt after Orange County’s Division of Building Safety issued a “stop work” order at the warehouse on Thursday, Fox 35 Orlando reports. The order followed an inspection that found the facility appeared to be storing animals without the required use permit.

Sloth World is allowed to bring in and display certain wildlife under two Florida state permits, including one that lets them import animals as long as they report them quickly and keep accurate records, and another that allows them to exhibit animals to the public, the FWC told The Independent Friday. The exhibit permit was originally issued to a former employee but was later transferred to the current owner.

State records show the Florida wildlife agency has tracked multiple shipments of animals to Sloth World from late 2024 through early 2026, including imports after February 2025, the agency said. However, federal regulators say the facility currently does not have an active Department of Agriculture permit, which may be needed to legally exhibit animals depending on how the facility operates, per the FWC.

The Independent has contacted Sloth World Orlando and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for comment.