31 sloths meant for Florida 'slotharium' attraction die in warehouse or in transit

U.S. news31 sloths meant for Florida 'slotharium' attraction die in warehouse or in transitThe operators of Sloth World in Orlando blamed most of the deaths on cold weather and a lack of heating in the warehouse, according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Add NBC News to GoogleCalls grow to shut down planned Orlando attraction after 31 sloth deaths02:08Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 24, 2026, 4:50 PM EDTBy Francie EbertDozens of sloths destined for a Florida "slotharium" died in a warehouse or while in transit to the Orlando attraction, state wildlife officials said. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The 31 deaths occurred between December 2024 and February 2025, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said in a report from last year that was recently released. The majority of the sloths died in an unheated warehouse while awaiting transfer to the still unopened Sloth World exhibit, the report said.An unannounced routine inspection at the Orlando warehouse in August by the FWC uncovered the deaths, according to the report. Sloth World told the FWC it placed an order for 21 sloths from Guyana, 15 two‑toed sloths and six three‑toed sloths, that arrived in December 2024.Those 21 sloths all died due to what Sloth World described as a “cold stun,” the report said. The building was not suitable for the animals, noting that before the sloths arrived, the facility had no water or electricity. Sloth World told the FWC that the warehouse "was not ready to receive the sloths, but it was too late to cancel the shipment.”Multiple space heaters were purchased, but the report says they had to be powered from a different building using extension cords. This tripped a fuse, meaning there was no heat in the building the night the sloths died. The minimum recorded temperature that night was...