Almost 30 sloths perished at a Florida animal import facility over a two-year span due to freezing conditions and illness, state wildlife officials have revealed.
An inspection document from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission dated August shows that 21 sloths brought in from Guyana died at Orlando’s Sanctuary World Imports facility in December 2024. The deaths occurred when building temperatures plummeted to between 40 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, sloths cannot control their body heat like other mammals and require temperatures between 68 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit to survive.
Peter Bandre, identified in the document as the facility’s licensee, explained that the animals suffered what he described as a “cold stun.” He stated that the building lacked electricity and water and was unprepared for the animal shipment, but canceling the delivery was no longer possible. Though the facility bought space heaters, they caused electrical problems and failed, leaving the sloths without warmth for at least one evening.
The warehouse subsequently brought in 10 sloths from Peru in February 2025. Two arrived already dead, while the remaining animals appeared severely malnourished and died from what officials described as “poor health issues.” Bandre mentioned plans to hire a new veterinarian, who would be the facility’s third, according to state records.
The Associated Press was unable to reach Bandre through a phone number listed for Sanctuary World Imports in the August documentation.
State inspection records from March 2026 show that Sanctuary World President Benjamin Agresta announced the company had been renamed Sloth World Inc. and that Bandre no longer worked with the operation. The AP’s attempts to contact Sloth World Inc. through phone and text messages on Sunday were unsuccessful.
March inspectors found that the facility where the Guyanese sloths died now featured separate heating and cooling systems maintaining a constant 82-degree temperature. Officials noted no problems with the sloths currently housed there.
