Sloth World: Warehouse lacked proper permits for animals; ‘stop work’ order issued by county

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The warehouse on International Drive where 31 sloths intended for Sloth World Orlando reportedly died was not permitted to have animals or wildlife of any kind, FOX 35 has learned.

On Thursday afternoon, an inspector with Orange County’s Building Safety issued a “stop work” order at the warehouse after visiting the building, determining that it appeared animals were being stored without a use permit.

He was not able to go into the building because no one from Sloth World was at the facility. That also means it is unclear if there are sloths actively inside the building or not.

According to a report by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the warehouse is intended to be a “receiving” center for Sloth World Orlando. The animals are evaluated and acclimated at the warehouse facility, before eventually being taken to the main exhibit fewer than three miles away, the report said.

Orange County: Building permitted to house vehicles, not sloths

A spokesperson for Orange County told FOX 35 that the building was last inspected in 2021, when a use permit to store vehicles was issued to another business. 

“The County was recently notified that the building’s use has changed. Orange County Fire Rescue inspected the property on April 21 and found that the current business appeared not to have a USE permit or a certificate of occupancy for the building.

It was also discovered that the property had animal cages without the proper permits and lacked required fire extinguishers and exit signage.”

That’s what brought another inspector to the property on Thursday.

What about Sloth World Orlando?

Despite being three minutes away from the warehouse, Sloth World Orlando’s attraction building falls under the City of Orlando’s jurisdiction.

FOX 35 reached out to the City of Orlando for an update on that project:

“The project has submitted its permit applications, which are currently under review as part of the standard permitting process. A certificate of occupancy has not been issued,” the spokesperson said.

Sloth World Orlando describes itself on its website as “the world’s only ‘slotharium.’”

“Sloth World was created to provide sloths with a protected, research-informed habitat designed around their natural needs. Here, guests learn through quiet observation, guided by caretakers who support daily sloth care,” reads its website.

It was expected to open in March. That has not happened. A new opening date has not been annoucned. FOX 35 visited the facility this week, which remains under construction. 

Sloth World website pulled offline

It appears that Sloth World Orlando has modified its website. On Wednesday morning, Sloth World’s website showed renderings, photos, and information about what the attraction would offer.

Late Wednesday afternoon, the fancy graphics were replaced with the following message: “Pardon our dust! We’re working on something amazing — check back soon!”

Are there more sloths here?

That’s unclear. There are no windows or doors at the warehouse facility, and the inspector was unable to go inside the building.

FOX 35 has reached out to the current owner of Sloth World for comment. FOX 35 also reached out to the former co-owner for comment, who also did not respond.

The former owner previously told FOX 35 that there were more sloths here, and that most of them were pregnant. However, that has not been confirmed by FWC, county officials, or city officials. 

A spokesperson for Orange County told FOX 35 that if sloths were found inside the building, FWC would be contacted. FOX 35 has reached out to FWC for comment.

USDA: No active permit for Sloth World Orlando

A spokesperson for the USDA told FOX 35 that anyone who wants to publicly display animals needs to have an Animal Welfare License. Sloth World Orlando does not have one on file, according to the USDA.

“We take very seriously our mission to protect vulnerable animals. The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) requires people who use regulated animals for certain purposes to be licensed with APHIS and meet established standards of humane care and public safety. When we hear public concerns about facilities potentially engaged in regulated activities a license, we investigate for appropriate follow-up. We are aware of the facility mentioned and are responding.

The first step APHIS takes in cases of suspected activity without a valid license is to send the individual information about the AWA and licensing requirements. If there is continued evidence of potential regulated activity, APHIS follows up to ascertain the specifics of the activity and if the individual would be required to obtain a license. If they continued covered activity without a license, APHIS pursues enforcement actions.”

Sen. Macwell Frost reacts to Sloth World reports: ‘I am appalled’

Congressman Maxwell Frost responded to FOX 35’s reporting on Sloth World Orlando in a post on X, including a link to our reporting.

“I am appalled to hear about the 31 sloths who died under the “care” of the not yet opened Sloth World in Orlando,” he wrote.

These sloths — naturally solitary animals — were put in the worst conditions possible. They were taken from their natural habitats to a packed warehouse that wasn’t properly heated and allowed for the spread of deadly viruses, leading to a stress-induced death.”

My office is looking into this tragedy, and we will coordinate with local officials to determine how to best move forward.

What is Sloth World?

Sloth World Orlando describes itself on its website as “the world’s only ‘slotharium.’”

“Sloth World was created to provide sloths with a protected, research-informed habitat designed around their natural needs. Here, guests learn through quiet observation, guided by caretakers who support daily sloth care,” reads its website.