Florida has opened a criminal probe into Sloth World following the deaths of dozens of sloths at the closed Orlando operation. 

As Inside Climate News reported, the move marks a major escalation in scrutiny around the commercial wildlife trade and the companies profiting from up-close animal encounters. 

In a May 1 letter, Attorney General James Uthmeier said his office was helping the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida investigate the matter. 

ICN found that more than 31 sloths died while under the company's care, raising serious questions about whether there is sufficient oversight to protect vulnerable animals. 

Sloth World had marketed itself as a conservation-focused tourist attraction, where customers could pay $49 for a close-up sloth experience. 

According to ICN, the animals — which came from the rainforests of Guyana — were instead being housed in a warehouse while the main facility was under construction.  

Owner Benjamin Agresta first challenged the official records of the deaths, claiming they were "completely fiction." He then said a virus was to blame. 

ICN's original report claimed a December 2024 shipment brought 21 sloths from Guyana to a warehouse that investigators said was unprepared for them. According to necropsy findings, the sloths showed swollen stomachs, mouth ulcers, spinal-cord damage, pneumonia, organ failure, and, in some cases, viruses. 

Experts told ICN that stress likely played a major role. Sloths don't react to danger the way many mammals do. Instead of visibly panicking, they can shut down. When they are captured, shipped internationally, and exposed to loud, unfamiliar environments, their bodies can flood with stress hormones, weakening their immune systems and making illness more likely. 

It helps explain why wildlife "experiences" that may seem harmless to customers can conceal severe suffering behind the scenes. 

The fallout is still unfolding. According to import records, Sloth World brought in more than 60 sloths from the wild. ICN reported that the company still had 13 animals in late April, which were later taken in by Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens. 

The zoo reported that one of those sloths, Bandit, had died after arriving in critical condition, with symptoms including severe lethargy, dehydration, nutritional and electrolyte problems, and gastrointestinal issues. The zoo then announced that another sloth, Dumpling, succumbed to death after suffering from digestion and gastrointestinal issues for 11 days. 

For consumers and communities, the case points to a much bigger problem. Entertainment built around wild animals can normalize risky trade practices while obscuring the true cost. It can also erode public trust in the agencies tasked with safeguarding animal welfare. 

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials said that an earlier civil investigation closed without a citation or written warning, even though dozens of sloths died. That enforcement gap can delay progress toward a better future by rewarding harmful business models instead of humane, conservation-minded alternatives. 

According to ICN, State Representative Anna Eskamani shared her frustration with FWC's findings. 

"It is unacceptable that the deaths of dozens of sloths — caused by what appears to be clear negligence — would not result in any meaningful accountability," she said.

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