“The world’s first “slotharium” was slapped with a stop-work order Thursday after a probe alarmingly found 31 sloths had died in the care of the Florida company prior to its grand opening last month.”

“Sloth World Orlando received two shipments of two- and three-toed sloths — one in December 2024 from Guyana and one from Peru in February 2025 — in anticipation of its March 1 opening on the city’s famed International Drive.”

“But 21 of the warm-blooded mammals in the first shipment died from a “cold stun” shortly after arriving in the Sunshine State.”

“Under Florida law, Sloth World was not obligated to report the deaths to the FWC — but during a routine, unannounced inspection in August 2025, the agency learned of the deaths and subsequently launched a probe into the care and safety of the notoriously slow-moving mammals, native to Central and South America, FOX 35 reported.”

“The sloths were being housed in a warehouse facility two minutes away from where the attraction was set to open, to help the furry-mammals acclimate, before being transferred to the permanent public exhibit, the FWC said in its findings.”

“A previous co-owner of Sloth World, who remains unidentified, also told the agency that the facility didn’t have running water or electricity at the time, and was not ready to house the incoming sloth’s arrival — but it was too late to cancel the shipment.”

“But the fuse tripped at some point, leaving them without heat for at least one night, the report claims.”