The world\u2019s first \u201cslotharium\u201d was slapped with a stop-work order Thursday after a probe alarmingly found 31 sloths had died in the care of the Florida company prior to its grand opening last month.<\/p>\n
Sloth World Orlando received two shipments of two- and three-toed sloths \u2014 one in December 2024 from Guyana and one from Peru in February 2025 \u2014 in anticipation of its March 1 opening on the city\u2019s famed International Drive. But 21 of the warm-blooded mammals in the first shipment died from a \u201ccold stun\u201d<\/a> shortly after arriving in the Sunshine State.<\/p>\n Under Florida law, Sloth World was not obligated to report the deaths to the FWC\u00a0 \u2014 but during a routine, unannounced inspection in August 2025, the agency learned of the deaths and subsequently launched a probe into the care and safety of the notoriously slow-moving mammals, native to Central and South America, FOX 35<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n Sloth World Orlando is slated to be the world\u2019s first \u201cslotharium.\u201d FOX35\/Youtube<\/p>\n The sloths were being housed in a warehouse facility two minutes away from where the attraction was set to open, to help the furry-mammals acclimate, before being transferred to the permanent public exhibit, the FWC said in its findings.<\/p>\n A previous co-owner of Sloth World, who remains unidentified, also told the agency that the facility didn\u2019t have running water or electricity at the time, and was not ready to house the incoming sloth\u2019s arrival\u00a0 \u2014\u00a0 but it was too late to cancel the shipment.\u00a0<\/p>\n As a work-around to keep the sleepy mammals warm enough, space heaters were purchased and powered by a nearby building via an extension cord.\u00a0<\/p>\n But the fuse tripped at some point, leaving them without heat for at least one night, the report claims.<\/p>\n Sloths require a warm, tropical environment for survival \u2014 ideally between 81 and 90 degrees, according to The Sloth Conservation Foundation. Temperatures below 68 degrees can be fatal.<\/p>\n Sloths shipped from Central and South America have been housed at an off-site warehouse, minutes from the Sloth World\u2019s permanent location. FOX35<\/p>\n 21 sloths died from a \u2018cold stun\u2019 in Florida in December 2024. Benjamin \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n Florida\u2019s average daily temperature in December 2024 was 56 degrees, though the coldest recorded day, Dec. 22, was just 46 degrees.<\/p>\n Months later, two sloths from the Peru shipment were found dead on arrival and the remaining eight died sometime later after appearing \u201cemaciated and in very poor health\u201d on arrival, according to the FWC report.<\/p>\n The former owner refuted claims of negligence and pinned the deaths on a \u201cforeign virus.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe are aware of rumors such as claiming that our sloths were \u2018cold-stunned\u2019 or left without water and electricity. These claims are entirely false,\u201d they told FOX 35.<\/p>\n \u201cRecently, our facility has been managing a difficult situation involving a foreign virus.\u201d<\/p>\n The former owner of Sloth World Orlando slammed reports that the sloths died from cold conditions. FOX35\/Youtube<\/p>\n Despite the harrowing death toll, the FWC didn\u2019t issue any violations to Sloth World Orlando.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, a \u201cstop-work\u201d order was issued Thursday by the Orange County\u2019s Division of Building Safety \u2014 as an inspector determined that it appeared animals were being stored in the warehouse facility without a use permit, according to FOX 35<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The United States Department of Agriculture also confirmed that Sloth World Orlando does not have an Animal Welfare License on file, which is required by anyone wanting to publicly display animals, the outlet reported.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sloth World\u2019s website now appears to be taken down \u2014 and no re-opening date has been announced, according to the outlet.<\/p>\n US Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) was \u201cappalled\u201d to hear of the deaths and said his office will be investigating the tragedy with local officials.<\/p>\n A \u201cstop-work\u201d order was issued on the warehouse housing the sloths by the Orange County Division of Building Safety on Thursday. FOX35<\/p>\n