Wildlife officials in Florida said in a newly released report that dozens of sloths taken from South American rainforests for display at a controversial new tourist attraction in Orlando died in the care of their new owners.

An incident report from the Florida fish and wildlife conservation commission (FWC) said that 31 of the mammals procured from Peru and Guyana by the owners of a forthcoming attraction called Sloth World perished in a storage warehouse more than a year ago, between December 2024 and February 2025.

According to the report, the facility’s then owner, Peter Bandre, told inspectors that 21 two-toed sloths from Guyana were victims of a “cold stun”, after temporary heaters failed. The warehouse had no water or power of its own, Bandre said, and the heaters were run by extension cables from a neighboring building.

The other 10 sloths came in a shipment from Peru. Two were found dead on arrival, and the others succumbed to “poor health issues” after appearing emaciated.

A battery of cages was found not to meet strict regulations for the animals’ welfare during the August 2025 FWC inspection. The agency did not issue fines or citations, but the report said the owners received a verbal warning for a “captive wildlife discrepancy”.

The episode has prompted calls from animal advocacy groups for Orange county officials to halt Sloth World’s planned opening next month, and for a wider inquiry into the permitting process for the importation of wild animals from South America.

“The torturous conditions these sloths were subjected to are a tragic example of the cruel and unethical wildlife trade,” Nicole Barrantes, wildlife campaign manager of World Animal Protection US, said in a statement.

“These solitary, reclusive animals were brutally taken from their natural habitat, left to starve and freeze, and eventually die of infection. The ruthless appetite to exploit wild animals just to make money must be addressed.”

Congressman Maxwell Frost, a Democrat representing central Florida, said his office was looking into the tragedy and joining local officials investigating the $49-a-ticket attraction.

“I am appalled to hear about the 31 sloths who died under the ‘care’ of the not yet opened Sloth World in Orlando,” Frost wrote on X on Thursday.

“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.”

Fox 35, the central Florida news channel that first reported the story, said a building inspector for Orange county visited the warehouse on Thursday and issued a “stop work” order after finding nobody there. According to the outlet, the building is permitted for the storage of vehicles, not animals.

A spokesperson for Orange county confirmed that officials were investigating the attraction. The FWC did not immediately return a request for comment.

The attraction’s website describes Sloth World as the planet’s only “slotharium”, where guests step into “a rainforest-inspired indoor habitat where more than 40 sloths live on their terms”. A section on conservation cites Bandre as “one of the most respected sloth experts in the world”, responsible for 90% of sloths currently on display at US exhibits.

Bandre has since left Sloth World and his former business partner, Ben Agresta, is sole owner and president, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

The website said the 7,500 sq ft attraction was “in decoration mode” and opening in “about 25 days”. A request for comment was not immediately returned.

In a statement to Fox 35 earlier this week, Sloth World said it had recently been “managing a difficult situation regarding a foreign virus” and was working to address it.

The statement also contradicted information the FWC said it was given by Bandre about the deaths of the animals.

“We are aware of rumors such as claiming that our sloths were ‘cold-stunned’ or left without water and electricity,” it said.

“These claims are entirely false. FWC conducted a thorough inspection of our facility just last week, found absolutely no wrongdoings, and fully renewed our license.”

In January, the non-profit advocacy groups the Sloth Conservation Foundation (SloCo) and the Sloth Institute issued a joint statement condemning Sloth World.

“Removing wild animals from the rainforest for use in entertainment facilities risks normalizing wildlife extraction at a time when many species are already under pressure from habitat loss,” Rebecca Cliffe, founder of SloCo, said.

“Conservation cannot be retrofitted on to models that rely on wildlife removal. There is no justification in 2026 for acquiring wild sloths for exhibition.”

The Sloth Institute said its analysis of government data showed 1,141 sloths were imported to the US between 2011 and 2021, with 97% originating from Guyana.