{"id":5132,"date":"2026-06-23T21:05:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T21:05:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=5132"},"modified":"2026-06-23T21:05:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T21:05:08","slug":"florida-clamps-down-on-sloth-import-permits-after-sloth-world-deaths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=5132","title":{"rendered":"Florida clamps down on sloth import permits after Sloth World deaths"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Florida is tightening permit requirements for those who want to import sloths into the state, an action spurred by controversy over Sloth World, a never-opened Orange County attraction authorities say is responsible for the death of at least 55 of the tree-dwelling mammals.<\/p>\n

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission temporarily banned most sloth imports in May following outcry over the deaths at facilities run by the planned International Drive tourist attraction.<\/p>\n

The agency announced Friday that once that ban lifts on July 10, \u201cblanket import permits\u201d will no longer apply to sloths. Instead, those who want to import sloths \u2014 which are native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America \u2014 will have to apply for a one-time-use \u201cwildlife importation permit\u201d before bringing them into the state. That type of permit means transport cages and facilities are subject to possible inspection by FWC.<\/p>\n

FWC did not respond to a request for comment. Advocates pushing for Florida law changes to prevent future sloth abuse and death argue more still needs to be done.<\/p>\n

But Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said the new permit rules could have prevented the Sloth World deaths, had the attraction\u2019s facilities been inspected before animals arrived. She\u2019s among those who want the Florida law modified.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the context of Sloth World, that would have at least provided a pause because, remember, sloths came into Florida and Orlando, and there was no facility prepared for that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Many sloths intended for display at Sloth World languished and died in small cages inside an unheated warehouse, while others succumbed to separate health issues from Dec. 2024 to Feb. 2025, according to an FWC incident report. Thirteen surviving animals were transferred to the Central Florida Zoo, suffering from malnutrition and other critical conditions. Five have since died, despite veterinary care, the zoo reported.<\/p>\n

Sloth World was initially slated to open its doors in February \u2014 but never did. Instead, the business and its owners became embroiled in controversy over the deaths of dozens of sloths, first reported by Inside Climate News.<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new permit change is a step in the right direction in trying to keep anything like what happened with Sloth World from happening again,\u201d wrote Richard Glover, CEO of the zoo, in an emailed statement. \u201cOnly organizations with professionals trained and experienced in caring for sloths and other wildlife should be allowed to house them, and only in habitats and environments sufficient and proper for their well-being.\u201d<\/p>\n

Glover also called for sloths to be further reclassified so they can\u2019t be kept as pets in the state.<\/p>\n

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed last month the kick off of a criminal probe into Sloth World, led by the Orange-Osceola State Attorney\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n

While FWC\u2019s permit changes are helpful, the best solution is a permanent ban on wild-caught sloth imports into the country, wrote Sam Trull, executive director and co-founder of the Sloth Institute, in an emailed statement.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The institute\u2019s experts are among those pushing for Florida to ban the import of sloths taken from the wild.<\/p>\n

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an animal rights group, helped advocate for the investigation into Sloth World. The new permit requirement will increase monitoring, but loopholes still exist, said Cydnee Bence, counsel at the PETA Foundation\u2019s captive animal law enforcement division.<\/p>\n

\u201cMake no mistake, this permit change won\u2019t prevent greedy roadside zoos from continuing to exploit and warehouse sloths in unnatural conditions,\u201d Bence said.<\/p>\n

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Florida is tightening permit requirements for sloth imports after deaths of at least 55 animals tied to the Sloth World attraction in Orlando.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4390,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5132","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environment","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nFlorida clamps down on sloth import permits after Sloth World deaths - Orlando Relocation Report<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=5132\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Florida clamps down on sloth import permits after Sloth World deaths - 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