Orange County Moves to Tighten Rules After Mass Sloth Deaths

Overview

• Dozens of sloths imported for the planned Sloth World attraction were kept in an unlicensed Orange County warehouse and many died after arrival, with news outlets reporting differing totals.
• County commissioners held a discussion Tuesday prompted by Commissioner Nicole Wilson and may direct staff to draft ordinance changes for future public hearings.
• State and local probes are ongoing: the Orange County Sheriff’s Office is close to finishing its investigation while the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it found no evidence of criminal neglect and has replaced a 60-day import ban with new Wildlife Importation Permit rules.
• Thirteen surviving sloths were taken to the Central Florida Zoo where staff reported the animals were dehydrated and underweight and several later died or were euthanized because of poor condition.
• The case highlighted a gap between federal control of animal importation and local powers to regulate land use, licensing, and inspections, prompting calls from county leaders and state advocates to limit entertainment-based wildlife interactions and tighten oversight.