ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has released its findings in the investigation into the now-closed Sloth World.
Several dozen sloths died earlier this year, before the attraction ever opened.
Detectives with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Agricultural Crimes Unit began investigating following an initial investigation by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
According to the 44-page investigative report, no one will face charges in connection with the deaths. Detectives concluded the deaths were health-related and found no evidence the animals were intentionally harmed or neglected.
Channel 9 first reported the deaths in April after an FWC report showed 31 deaths involving two shipments of sloths. In May, FWC updated their death toll to 55 sloths and issued a temporary halt on imports into Florida.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office began its investigation around the same time.
The report outlines multiple visits by detectives to the locations where the sloths were held, interviews with former employees and animal experts, as well as a review of records.
Detectives concluded the sloths died from several different diseases that were made worse by stressors.
The report says that between March and April of this year, the number of living sloths in Sloth World’s care dropped from 26 to 13.
Both the owner of Sloth World and the former manager denied any negligence in the care of the animals.
Sloth World initially had three locations: two on International Drive, including the exhibit location, and an additional warehouse on 22nd Street.
According to the report, when detectives examined the locations, they found the facilities met the requirements necessary at the time they were examined.
Investigators spoke with several experts about the findings, but the experts had varying opinions on the specific causes of death.
The report states that a veterinary forensic pathologist found the sloths’ pathology report findings were “consistent with a common disease process rather than isolated illness,” but that “stress was a contributing factor.”
The report says that stress could have come from transportation, environmental changes, housing conditions, lighting and more.
Testing showed several different viruses among the sloths.
According to the report, another expert disagreed with the theory that the deaths were caused by a viral disease, stating that “the pattern of illness was inconsistent” with a virus. The expert cited that all the animals, regardless of age or origin, had similar progressions.
While the report marks the end of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigation, the case has been referred to the State Attorney’s Office, which will determine whether any additional reviews are necessary.
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