Every update on the Sloth World Orlando story has been worse than the one before it, and this week delivered the most devastating development yet. One of the 13 sloths rescued from Sloth World's possession and transferred to the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens has died. He was three months old. His name was Bandit, and he arrived at the zoo in critical condition after spending time in the care of an operation that has now been connected to the deaths of at least 32 animals and has never once opened its doors to the public.
Bandit The Baby Sloth
Bandit was a three-month-old baby sloth who arrived at the Central Florida Zoo as part of a group of 13 animals donated to the facility after being removed from Sloth World. Within four days of the animals' arrival, zoo veterinarians raised the alarm about the condition of the group. Many of the sloths are showing signs of dehydration and malnutrition. Bandit was identified as among the most vulnerable from the beginning.
He showed signs of improvement during his time in quarantine before taking a sudden, unexpected turn for the worse. Veterinarians made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize him. The Central Florida Zoo publicly confirmed the loss, stating that the team had done everything possible to give him the best chance at survival and to ensure he was comfortable in his final days. The zoo said it was heartbroken by the loss.
The remaining 12 sloths are currently in stable condition. The Central Florida Zoo has shifted its full focus to ensuring those animals continue to recover and is accepting public donations to help cover the cost of their ongoing care and rehabilitation.
What the Founder Claimed and What a Former Employee Says Happened
Sloth World founder Ben Agresta has disputed the characterization of the cause of the 31 sloth deaths documented in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission inspection report, attributing them to an unknown, foreign-born virus and denying any wrongdoing. A former Sloth World employee gave a directly contradictory account, stating there were no viruses and attributing the deaths to poor conditions and the owner's failure to properly maintain the facility and care for the animals.
The former employee also described a company culture during its buildup in which selling merchandise and pre-sale tickets took priority over the animals' welfare, and said he raised concerns about the animals' well-being internally, while the project continued to move forward regardless.
The Full Picture of What Has Happened
For anyone coming to this story fresh, the timeline is significant. An FWC inspection report from August 2025 documented 31 sloth deaths connected to the operation between December 2024 and February 2025. Showing animals dying after arriving at a warehouse that lacked water and electricity. An area where space heaters powered from a separate building failed during colder weather. Orange County issued a stop-work order after inspectors found the International Drive warehouse lacked required permits to house animals and proper occupancy approvals. Florida State Representative Anna Eskamani went public, demanding criminal charges, revealing that the attraction holds an expired permit, and pushing federal agencies to get involved. She also surfaced a significant regulatory gap, confirming that FWC permits do not require notification when an animal dies. Meaning the deaths only came to light because concerned citizens reported them.
Sloth World has still never opened to the public. Its website is a placeholder. Social media accounts have gone dark. The founder has not issued a public statement in response to the death of Bandit. He also hasn't responded to the broader escalation of enforcement actions against the operation.
Where Things Stand Now
Twelve sloths remain at the Central Florida Zoo in stable condition. After receiving the care and rehabilitation they need after arriving in a state that reflected exactly how they had been kept. The zoo is accepting donations for that ongoing care, and the public response to the situation has been significant.
Bandit did not make it. He was three months old. He arrived in critical condition. Then he died in the care of a zoo that did everything it could for him after an operation that did very little. The Sloth World story started with an inspection report. It has now reached a point where the consequences are no longer abstract regulatory findings and expired permits. They are the death of a baby animal that should never have been in this situation in the first place. The investigation continues, and so does the accounting for what happened here.
