ORLANDO — An Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigation into the deaths of more than 50 sloths at a planned tourism attraction in Orlando concluded this week that investigators will not pursue criminal charges, even after documenting emaciated and dehydrated animals and facility problems dating to an initial shipment in December 2024.
The sheriff’s report, authored by Deputy Aaron Bennett, said the fatalities at Sloth World appeared to stem from the animals’ underlying health issues rather than from "criminal activity or improper care," according to the document released Wednesday. Still, the findings paint a stark picture of animals arriving and living in substandard conditions, and they spotlight regulatory limits when it comes to imported wildlife kept for commercial tourism.
Evidence of poor conditions documented
Investigators described sloths found emaciated and dehydrated. The report included details of particularly troubling cases: one animal was observed frothing at the mouth; another was lying on the ground for two days and covered in feces. Inspectors also noted that the initial group of sloths imported from South America arrived at a facility without running water or electricity. Space heaters intended to keep the animals warm failed, leaving some sloths exposed to the cold for at least one night in December 2024.
Despite efforts to improve the facility after the first shipment, the report says the death toll climbed over the following 16 months as Sloth World continued to import more animals. State records reviewed by investigators indicate the company brought in sloths from Guyana and Peru.
"There was no legal basis for enforcement action or closure," an agency spokesperson said in an April email, referring to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's response to the situation.
The sheriff’s report drew on interviews with the attraction’s owner, Benjamin Agresta, former employees, a veterinary forensic pathologist, a sloth care expert and other sources, along with veterinary records and inspection documents prepared by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Regulatory limits and legal definitions
Legal observers told reporters that current statutes governing wildlife treatment set narrow definitions for criminal mistreatment. Jess Beaulieu, manager of the animal law program at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, said the finding of no criminal liability was not surprising because Florida’s animal cruelty law requires proof of intentionally or "unnecessarily" tormenting an animal or depriving it of food.
Beaulieu argued the system leaves gaps in accountability for the welfare of wild animals maintained in private commercial operations. The sheriff’s report and state agency statements underline the difficulty of translating welfare concerns into enforceable criminal charges when deaths may be attributed to preexisting health problems rather than deliberate mistreatment.
What investigators found and the state response
- Initial shipment arrived in December 2024 at a facility lacking running water and electricity.
- Space heaters failed, leaving sloths exposed to cold conditions for at least one night.
- More than 60 sloths were reportedly imported from Guyana and Peru over the course of the project.
- More than 50 sloths died over a roughly 16-month period following the initial import.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission did not take enforcement action to stop Sloth World from importing additional sloths, saying there was no legal basis to do so. That position, coupled with the sheriff’s determination, leaves unresolved questions for advocates and lawmakers about whether existing laws and agency authority are sufficient to prevent similar outcomes in the future.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Initial arrival | December 2024 |
| Imported from | Guyana and Peru |
| Number imported | More than 60 |
| Deaths reported | More than 50 over 16 months |
Local animal welfare advocates and legal experts are likely to scrutinize both the operational practices of wildlife-based attractions and the statutory framework governing wild-animal commerce. The case underscores the challenges regulators face when wildlife is moved across borders and held in facilities designed primarily for human visitors rather than long-term animal care.
Officials involved in the investigation have relied on veterinary examinations and interviews in concluding that the deaths were the result of health problems rather than criminal neglect. Still, the documented evidence of inadequate facilities and repeated imports during the period when animals were dying has prompted calls for a review of policy and oversight.
As state and local officials weigh potential policy responses, the Sloth World case may prompt lawmakers to consider whether Florida’s wildlife laws and inspection authorities need revision to better protect the animals trafficked into commercial tourist attractions.
Javier Castellanos contributed reporting.
