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Over a dozen sloths were rescued from a bankrupt Florida tourist trap after 31 died in its care before the embattled business could even open.
The 13 sloths were saved from Sloth World Orlando on Friday and are now safely in the care of expert veterinary staff at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens, CBS12 reported.
The zoo confirmed on Sunday that all 13 sloths — including one in serious condition and one pregnant — survived a second night of rehabilitation under around-the-clock supervision by veterinary and zoo care teams.
Many of the adorable two-toed sloths arrived at the zoo dehydrated and underweight. A few required more critical care, but are showing initial signs of improvement, according to a news release from the zoo.
The whole crew is currently in quarantine, where they will remain for at least 30 days — but the zoo says that the tiny mammals are now eating and drinking properly and will receive treatment as needed.
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens has assumed temporary ownership of the wide-eyed tree-dwellers while they work to find a long-term home for them at an Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) accredited facility, FOX 35 reported.
A day before the rescue, Sloth World Orlando, which is facing bankruptcy, was slapped with a stop-work order after a probe alarmingly found 31 sloths had died in its care before the business opened its doors to the public on Orlando’s famed International Drive.
Following the troubling reports, Sloth World Orlando owner Ben Agresta confirmed Friday that the world’s first “slotharium” will no longer be opening and is planing to file for bankruptcy protection.
“It’s been rough on everybody. We expect to go under the bankruptcy immediately as with our sloth population in full control by AZA and no plans to open, we have no other options,” Agresta told FOX 35.
Trouble in paradise first began when Sloth World Orlando received their first shipment of sloths from Guyana in December 2024.
Over 20 of the warm-blooded mammals from the first shipment died from a “cold stun” shortly after arriving in the Sunshine State.
The animals were being housed in an off-site warehouse two minutes away from where the attraction was slated to open. Prior to the sloth’s arrival, the facility did not have any electricity or running water.
An anonymous former-owner of the attraction said space heaters were purchased and powered by a nearby building via an extension cord, but the fuse tripped at some point and 21 sloths died, The Post previously reported.
Months later, Sloth World Orlando received a second shipment of sloths from Peru. Two sloths were found dead on arrival and the remaining eight died sometime later after appearing “emaciated and in very poor health” on arrival, according to a report by the FWC.
Sloth World Orlando was slammed by many conservationists and activists online, including US Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) who said the sloths “were put in the worst conditions possible” in a scathing statement posted on X.
Later Friday, the Sloth World Orlando owner issued a lengthy statement addressing the situation, arguing that an “unknown virus” was to blame for the unfortunate deaths, according to FOX35.
“There is so much false and inaccurate information out there right now. The truth is, we lost sloths that had a virus of which showed barely any symptoms and was undetectable even after necropsy,” Agresta said.
“None of our staff did anything to ever harm an animal and do not have anything but love and compassion for them. All we wanted was for the betterment of sloths by learning as much as we can and teaching the world about them,” he said.
“All of us have conservation at our hearts, coupled with education. Nothing we could have done could prevent an unknown virus.”
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