Prosecutors in Florida said on Friday they had launched a criminal investigation into the deaths of dozens of sloths from South America that were set to be displayed at a controversial new theme park.

A Florida fish and wildlife commission (FWC) report revealed last week that 31 mammals taken from rainforests in Peru and Guyana by the owners of Sloth World, a forthcoming tourist attraction in Orlando, perished in an unheated warehouse between December 2024 and February 2025.

The Central Florida Zoo posted on Facebook on Wednesday that one of 13 other sloths since rescued from the warehouse in poor health, and named by its owners Bandit, had been euthanized. Meanwhile, the theme park’s proprietor has reportedly filed for bankruptcy and abandoned plans to open for business.

On Friday, James Uthmeier, Florida’s attorney general, said in a post on X that prosecutors from his office were assisting counterparts from the state’s ninth circuit in an “ongoing criminal investigation” into the animals’ deaths and the circumstances of their seizure from their natural habitat.

“Our office is unwavering in its commitment to pursuing justice on behalf of those who are unable to protect themselves,” Uthmeier wrote in a letter to Democratic state representative Anna Eskamani, who a day earlier had demanded an investigation.

“We will ensure accountability wherever the evidence requires.”

Uthmeier said state prosecutors would usually only otherwise become involved in an animal welfare investigation if there was “evidence of a pattern of racketeering activity”. Prosecutorial authority, he said, remained with Monique Worrell, state attorney for the ninth circuit.

Worrell did not immediately return a request for comment.

Eskamani, who is running to become mayor of Orlando, questioned in a letter to Uthmeier on Wednesday why the state had granted permits for the animals to be imported, and how the self-styled “slotharium” was given approval to open.

“The loss of dozens of animals under preventable conditions demands accountability,” she wrote. “These reports raise not only questions of individual responsibility, but also broader concerns about regulatory oversight and enforcement.”

In an email to the Guardian on Thursday, a spokesperson for the FWC said permit holders were required to maintain detailed records of animals in their care, but had no responsibility to report fatalities.

The deaths only came to light after an unannounced visit by FWC officials in August 2025 to the warehouse, during which Sloth World’s then-owner Peter Bandre told inspectors that 21 two-toed sloths from Guyana were victims of a “cold stun” after temporary heaters failed.

Ten more sloths came in a shipment from Peru, Bandre said, with two dead on arrival and eight others succumbing to “poor health issues” after appearing emaciated.

Bandre subsequently parted company with Sloth World, and his former business partner, Ben Agresta, the sole owner and president, did not respond to a request for comment sent through the park’s website, which was still online on Friday.

The FWC spokesperson said that Sloth World reported the import of 61 mammals between December 2024 and March 2026, which the theme park said it intended to put on display in a 7,500 sq ft building on International Drive, the heart of Orlando’s tourism district.

The commission said a veterinarian it consulted to look into the sloths’ deaths found several cases of systemic viral infections, evidence of neurological, respiratory and gastrointestinal disease, and evidence of immune suppression.

The necropsies did not definitively establish the primary cause of death or origin of infection, the spokesperson said. They added that all Sloth World facilities had closed, no sloths remained in any of the previously permitted facilities, and that FWC investigators were working with the owner to relinquish all permits.

On Monday, the Central Florida Zoo said it had taken in 13 sloths voluntarily surrendered by Sloth World. “Upon arrival, all of the animals were examined by our expert veterinary staff,” a statement said.

Bandit, one of the 13, was in especially poor health and showing signs of severe lethargy, dehydration, nutritional imbalances and gastrointestinal complications. Richard Glover, the zoo’s chief executive, said staff were “heartbroken” at the sloth’s death.

“Our team did everything possible to give him the best chance at survival and ensure he was comfortable in his final days,” he said in a separate statement posted on Thursday on the zoo’s website.

He said the 12 other sloths were in stable condition, he said.

Jonathan Morris, general counsel for captive animal law enforcement for People for the Ethical treatment of Animals (Peta), urged Uthmeier to hold Sloth World to the fullest extent of the law.

“These sloths were snatched from their rainforest homes and endured a terrifying journey thousands of miles away before being left to die in a barren warehouse,” he said in a statement.

“Wild animals are not props for roadside attractions, and Peta is calling on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to hold Bandre and Agresta accountable for their actions and ensure that they never own animals again.”