Sickness, cold killed nearly 30 sloths at a Florida import warehouse in 2024 and 2025
Disease and cold temperatures caused the deaths of nearly 30 sloths at a Florida animal import warehouse in 2024 and 2025, according to a report from state wildlife officials.
A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservancy inspection report in August found that 21 sloths imported from Guyana died at Sanctuary World Imports’ Orlando facility in December 2024 when temperatures dropped into the 40 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 to 12.8 degrees Celsius) range.
According to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, sloths cannot regulate their body temperature like other mammals and do best in the range of 68 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 30 degrees Celsius).
Peter Bandre, listed as the facility licensee in the report, said the animals died from what he called “cold shock.” He said the building had no water or electricity and was not ready to receive the animals, but it was too late to cancel the shipment. The facility purchased space heaters, but the heaters tripped a fuse and shut down, leaving the sloths alone without heat for at least one night.
The resort then ordered 10 sloths from Peru, which arrived in February 2025. Two of them were dead on arrival. The rest appeared emaciated and had died from what the report called “poor health.” Bandre said he plans to interview for the facility’s third veterinarian, according to the state report.
Bandre did not immediately respond to a message left at a number listed for Sanctuary World Imports in the Associated Press’ August report.
According to reports detailing follow-up government inspections in March 2026, Sanctuary World President Benjamin Agresta changed his name to Sloth World Inc. He said that he changed it to and that Bandre no longer had any involvement with this business. There was no immediate response to a voicemail and text message left by the AP on Sunday at the number listed in Sloth World Inc.’s March reports.
Investigators said a March inspection of the facility where the Guyanese sloths died revealed independent heat and air conditioning with the temperature constantly set at 82 degrees Fahrenheit (27.8 degrees Celsius). They did not observe any problems with the sloths housed at the facility.
