Mr. Ginger, smallest and youngest rescued Sloth World sloth, has died, zoo says

Mr. Ginger, the youngest and smallest sloth rescued from Sloth World Orlando and brought to the Central Florida Zoo, has died, the zoo said. He was humanely euthanized on Friday afternoon, FOX 35 has learned.

He was one of 13 rescued sloths brought to the zoo on Friday, April 24 – and one of four considered to be in the most critical condition. All four of those sloths have now died: Bandit, Habanero, Dumpling, and Mr. Ginger.

“Mr. Ginger was the youngest sloth brought into our care, estimated to be only 4-6 months old. He arrived in an extremely fragile condition, and our veterinary team provided intensive care. He was hand-fed every few hours and spent much of his time in an incubator to help regulate his body temperature. He was a fighter, and he held on despite the odds. Though our staff made every effort to give him the best possible chance at survival, his condition did not improve, and our team made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize him,” the zoo said in a Facebook post.

What they’re saying:

”We are heartbroken by the loss of Mr. Ginger,” said CEO Richard Glover.

“From the moment Mr. Ginger arrived, our animal care and veterinary teams dedicated countless hours to providing intensive and specialized care. Mr. Ginger’s condition was extremely fragile, but our staff remained committed to giving Mr. Ginger every opportunity possible.”

Florida Representative Anna Eskamani released a statement after Mr. Ginger’s death, saying in part: 

“Mr. Ginger’s story should never have been written the way it was. He was the youngest survivor of ‘Sloth World’ — a reckless, profit-driven sideshow off International Drive that cost the lives of 56 wild sloths before collapsing into bankruptcy. These were sentient, vulnerable animals, enjoying life in the forest, who were then exploited for a quick buck by operators who treated their welfare as an afterthought. 

We owe Mr. Ginger — and all the sloths who have lost their lives — more than mourning. We owe them action. That is why I will continue to push for the criminal probe already launched by local law enforcement and prosecutors, and why we will continue to work with FWC to ensure long-term policy change, so this never happens again.”

4 Sloth World sloths die in three weeks; 56 total sloths now dead

The zoo said all 13 sloths arrived at the zoo severely dehydrated, underweight, and with serious gastrointestinal issues after being stored in a warehouse on International Drive in Orange County.

Necropsies (animal autopsies) have been performed on Bandit, Habanero, and Dumpling and listed their cause of deaths as emaciation, likely tied to their previous care at Sloth World, the zoo said.

It marks the fourth sloth death in three weeks.

In total, at least 56 sloths imported to Florida since December 2024 from Guyana and Peru intended for Sloth World, have died, according to FWC reports, sloth experts, and zoo updates.

Investigations underway; no charges filed

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to FOX 35 that it has opened an investigation related to Sloth World and the sloth deaths at the request of the State Attorney’s Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court and the Florida Attorney General’s Office.

However, OCSO has been unable to elaborate on the scope of its investigation, only confirming that an investigation has been opened.

FOX 35 asked Friday if detectives had interviewed anyone associated with Sloth World. A spokesperson said in an email that there were no updates available.

FWC: Sloth imports to Florida banned for the next 58 days

Following weeks of FOX 35’s reporting on Sloth World and the sloth deaths, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an executive order this week temporarily banning the import of sloths into Florida.

The sloth ban went into effect on May 13 and would remain in effect until at least July 10, according to a copy of the executive order. It required anyone or any facility who owns sloths in Florida to report “severe illness” to the FWC.

The FWC said it was also reviewing its Class III license requirements, which sloths fall under, and does not require sloth importers to notify FWC of sloth deaths – only bites or escapes.

The FWC knew about the sloth deaths as early as August 2025 during an unannounced inspection at the warehouse, where sloths were actively being held and cared for. However, inspectors did not issue any violations, except a “verbal warning” regarding the sizes of two cages that were housing two sloths. Officials also did not issue any citations, violations, or charges, finding that the care did not meet the legal definition of animal cruelty, and because efforts had been made by the owners to improve care.

The FWC also did not alert Orange County that it knew of animals being stored in a makeshift warehouse, despite multiple inspections between 2025 and 2026. That warehouse, according to Orange County, was permitted to store vehicles not animals.

How are the other 9 sloths doing at the Central Florida Zoo?

The Central Florida Zoo said its keepers continue to provide around-the-clock care for the remaining nine sloths.

“Several of the original 13 sloths remain in critical condition, and the situation remains very fluid. We continue to treat the remaining sloths with the highest level of care and hope for the best results,” the zoo said in an earlier update.

CEO Richard Glover told FOX 35 previously that there was no guarantee that any of the sloths would ultimately survive. He said the sloths’ bloodwork has shown that they were fed the wrong diet for a long time, which has had critical effects on their bodies.

The names of the remaining sloths have not been released.