Another Young Sloth from Sloth World Died, Leaving Nine Remaining at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens

Summary:

SANFORD, FL – Mr. Ginger, the youngest of 13 sloths to recently arrive at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens from a now-canceled Orlando attraction known as Sloth World, died Friday afternoon. He was estimated to be between 4-6 months old, according to the zoo.

“He was a fighter, and he held on despite the odds,” the zoo said in a prepared statement announcing Mr. Ginger’s death. “Though our staff made every effort to give him the best possible chance at survival, his condition did not improve, and our team made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize him.”

Mr. Ginger is the fourth sloth to die at the zoo after arriving there for care from Sloth World, a canceled attraction previously planned for Orlando’s International Drive. At least 61 sloths were imported from South America for the attraction between 2024 and 2026, and at least 56 of them have died, according to state records, necropsy reports and information from the zoo.

Like the other three sloths that recently died at the zoo, Mr. Ginger arrived there in very poor condition, coming from a warehouse just down the street from where Sloth World was planned to open. While at the zoo, Mr. Ginger was hand-fed every few hours, spending much of his time in an incubator to regulate his body temperature.

Sloth imports are temporarily banned in Florida, until July 10th, according to an executive order issued earlier this week by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Action take by Born Free USA:

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