Sloth World Death Toll Hits 56 as Florida Bans Sloth Imports and an Investigation Opens
The updates from the Central Florida Zoo on the Sloth World sloths have been hard to read since the moment thirteen survivors arrived at the facility on April 24. Four of those thirteen are now dead. The latest is Mr. Ginger, the youngest and smallest sloth rescued from the Orange County warehouse, who was humanely euthanized on Friday, May 15, after weeks of intensive care that could not overcome the damage done before he ever arrived at the zoo.
He was estimated to be four to six months old.
Who Mr. Ginger Was
Mr. Ginger arrived at the Central Florida Zoo in extremely fragile condition, along with the other 12 rescued sloths. He was one of four considered most critical upon arrival. All four of those sloths have now died. The others were Bandit, Habanero, and Dumpling, whose cause of death was listed as emaciation following necropsies, attributed to their previous care at Sloth World.
The zoo’s veterinary team provided intensive care for Mr. Ginger from the moment he arrived. He was hand-fed every few hours. He spent most of his time in an incubator to help regulate his body temperature. The Central Florida Zoo described him in a Facebook post as a fighter who held on despite the odds. Despite every effort from the animal care and veterinary teams, his condition did not improve, and the decision to humanely euthanize him was made on Friday afternoon.
Central Florida Zoo CEO Richard Glover said the team was heartbroken by the loss and acknowledged the countless hours dedicated to Mr. Ginger’s care from the moment he arrived.
The Broader Picture
Mr. Ginger’s death brings the total number of sloths who have died since December 2024 to 56. These were animals imported from Guyana and Peru, intended for Sloth World, the now-bankrupt facility that had planned to open along International Drive in Orlando. The sloths were kept in an unprepared warehouse with no heat, running water, or windows. Space heaters powered by extension cords from a different building tripped the fuse and shut down, leaving sloths in a cold building without heat overnight, with nobody present to fix it.
FWC had been aware of sloth deaths at the facility as early as August 2025, during an unannounced inspection. Inspectors issued a verbal warning regarding two cage sizes and left without violations or charges, finding that the care did not meet the legal definition of animal cruelty.
What Florida Just Did to Sloth World
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued an executive order banning sloth imports into Florida, effective May 13, through at least July 10. The ban requires anyone holding sloths in Florida to report severe illness to the FWC. The commission is also reviewing its Class III license requirements, which currently do not require importers to notify FWC of sloth deaths.
FWC has formed a task force to overhaul the rules governing exotic animal permits. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has opened a criminal investigation at the request of the State Attorney’s Office and the Florida Attorney General’s Office. No charges have been filed.
Florida Representative Anna Eskamani called Mr. Ginger’s story one that should never have been written the way it was, and committed to pushing for both the criminal investigation and long-term policy change so this cannot happen again.
The Nine Remaining Sloths
Nine sloths remain at the Central Florida Zoo, receiving around-the-clock care. Several are still in critical condition. CEO Richard Glover has said there is no guarantee any of them will survive. Their names have not been released.
Mr. Ginger should have been in a rainforest. Florida finally took action. It came too late for him.
