ORLANDO, Fla. – In the wake of a mass animal die-off with ties to a failed Orlando attraction, state lawmakers and sloth conservation groups continue their push for stronger sloth regulations in Florida.
On Tuesday, State Rep. Anna Eskamani and the Sloth Protection Alliance — a collaboration between the Sloth Conservation Foundation and The Sloth Institute — announced the submission of a five-point reform package to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, calling for tighter import rules, stronger welfare standards, and greater regulatory oversight.
The push follows the collapse of Sloth World, a planned International Drive attraction in Orlando, where 56 imported wild-caught sloths have died.
Since receiving 13 rescued sloths from the attraction, the Central Florida Zoo has announced four deaths.
“The Sloth World deaths weren’t a one-off failure — they were a warning about a system that simply isn’t built to protect these animals,” Eskamani said in a news release.
Among the proposed reforms:
Ban the import of wild-caught sloths, with limited exceptions for accredited zoos operating under the Sloth Species Survival Plan
Create a specialized regulatory category for sloths, or upgrade them from their current Class III classification to one that better reflects their complex care needs
Require reporting of all sloth deaths, transfers, sales and births
Prohibit hands-on “sloth encounter” experiences, while allowing educational viewing and no-contact feeding
Close a loophole that allows offspring of wild-caught sloths to be marketed as captive-bred
FWC has since announced a temporary halt on sloth importation and is forming a task force to pursue rule changes before the end of the year.
A criminal investigation into Sloth World remains active, with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office assisting Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell.
Meanwhile, the Sanford community continues to rally around the zoo’s efforts to care for the animals. A T-shirt fundraiser is currently going on. Shirts are $35 and can be bought online.
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