ORLANDO, Fla. (CBS12) — A baby sloth named Mr. Ginger died at the Central Florida Zoo on Friday, bringing the death toll linked to the failed Sloth World attraction to at least 56.
Zoo officials said the four- to six-month-old sloth arrived from the shuttered Sloth World in “extremely fragile condition,” requiring round-the-clock care, including incubation and hand-feeding. He was euthanized after his condition failed to improve. A necropsy is pending.
The zoo took in 13 surviving sloths after the International Drive attraction collapsed amid a wave of unexplained deaths. Three others died shortly after arrival in late April from severe emaciation.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said 55 imported sloths have died as a result of the operation. prompting a 60-day pause on sloth imports while regulations are reviewed, per the Orlando Sentinel.
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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials said earlier that necropsies had shown infections, immune suppression, and other serious diseases. Some deaths were linked to cold exposure and viral illness.
Surviving animals were relocated to the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens for intensive care.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is now investigating. Sloth World has lost its license and closed.
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Officials said Florida’s Class III wildlife rules do not require reporting of illness or deaths, a gap now under review. A 2025 analysis by the Sloth Institute found most imported sloths entered the U.S. through Miami.