ORLANDO, Fla. — Another sloth has died at a Central Florida zoo following its rescue from a failed Orlando tourist attraction that authorities say was responsible for the deaths of more than 30 other sloths.
The Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens announced that Habanero, an adult male sloth, was put down on Saturday to end his suffering. Zoo officials had been providing intensive care to Habanero and a dozen other sloths surrendered by Sloth World, an Orlando-area tourist destination that was planned but never launched.
Last week, another rescued sloth named Bandit also died at the facility.
“When the sloths arrived, all were underweight and are being treated for gastrointestinal (GI) issues, requiring intensive, specialized care,” the zoo said in a statement. “Habanero initially showed encouraging signs of stabilization, including eating and drinking regularly under the close supervision of the zoo’s veterinary and animal care teams. In recent days, however, his condition worsened.”
State and local officials have launched a criminal probe into how the animals were cared for while under Sloth World’s control.
Records from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission show that 31 sloths died between December 2024 and February 2025.
According to the wildlife commission, 21 sloths brought from Guyana perished at an Orlando location known as Sanctuary World Imports during December 2024 when cold weather pushed temperatures down to 40-55 degrees Fahrenheit. Unlike many other mammals, sloths cannot effectively control their body temperature and need environments between 68-85 degrees Fahrenheit to survive.
The attraction subsequently brought in 10 more sloths from Peru in February 2025. Two arrived already dead, while the remaining animals appeared severely malnourished and succumbed to what officials described as “poor health issues,” the state report indicated.
Attempts to reach the tourist attraction for comment were unsuccessful Monday.
