Disease and cold temperatures killed about 30 sloths at a Florida animal import warehouse in 2024 and 2025, according to a report from state wildlife authorities.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation inspection report from August found that 21 sloths imported from Guyana died at an Orlando facility called Sanctuary World Imports in December 2024 when temperatures dropped to levels between 40 and 55 degrees.
Sloths are unable to regulate their body temperature as well as other mammals and do best in the 68-to-85-degree range, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Peter Bandre, listed as the facility licensee in the report, said that the animals died of what he called a “cold stun.” The building had no water and no electricity and wasn’t ready to receive the animals, he said, but it was too late to cancel the shipment. The facility purchased space heaters but they tripped a fuse and shut down, leaving the sloths alone without heat for at least one night.
The facility later ordered 10 sloths from Peru, which arrived in February 2025. Two were dead on arrival. The rest appeared emaciated and died of what the report termed “poor health issues.” Bandre said he planned to interview for a new veterinarian, the facility’s third, according to the state report.
Bandre did not immediately return a message the Associated Press left at a number listed for Sanctuary World Imports on the August report.
According to reports detailing follow-up state inspections in March 2026, Sanctuary World President Benjamin Agresta said he had changed the name to Sloth World Inc. and Bandre was no longer affiliated with the business. A voicemail and text the AP left Sunday at the number listed in the March reports for Sloth World Inc. were not immediately returned.
Inspectors reported that the March inspections at the facility where the sloths from Guyana died revealed independent heat and air conditioning with a temperature constantly set at 82 degrees. They did not observe any issues with the sloths the facility was holding.
Richmond writes for the Associated Press.
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