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Who is investigating 'Sloth World' after over 30 dead?
The death of Habanero, a sloth in the care of the Central Florida Zoo, adds to the death count of over 30 sloths in connection to the anticipated Orlando attraction "Sloth World." While the Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's office said the situation is under investigation, the State Attorney's office of Monique Worrell denied this.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida State Attorney Monique Worrell said Monday that the deaths of more than 30 sloths shipped to Florida to be part of the now-shuttered "Sloth World Orlando" attraction "is deeply troubling."
"We will do anything within our power to ensure accountability in this matter," she said in a May 4 statement.
However, she said while people in her office, including the Assistant State Attorney, were looking into the sloths' deaths, she denied there was an active investigation underway.
"At this stage, they are in preliminary discussions about which law enforcement agency would be best suited to conduct an investigation, should one move forward. We do not have any information regarding an investigation that is currently underway," she said, referring to the Assistant State Attorney and Senior Statewide Prosecutor Lauryn Day.
"The State Attorney’s Office serves a distinct and deliberate role in the criminal legal process: we do not investigate cases — we receive investigations from law enforcement, evaluate the evidence, and make prosecutorial decisions grounded in law and fact. That distinction matters, and it guides everything we do."
The backstory:
On Friday, Attorney General James Uthmeier responded to Florida State Rep. Anna Eskamani's request for an investigation, stating that Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Lauryn Day was "assisting the Ninth Circuit with the ongoing criminal investigation."
What is not clear, however, is which law enforcement agencies, if any, are actively investigating Sloth World for potential violations. To date, no one associated with Sloth World has been cited or charged with any potential wrongdoing related to the sloths' deaths.
Ben Agresta, owner of Sloth World, said the sloths died from a foreign virus, not cold stun or other reported issues within FWC's inspection reports.
The big question: Who could investigate Sloth World over the sloth deaths?
Here's what the FWC has said:
The FWC conducted multiple inspections of a warehouse where Sloth World was holding the sloths and, despite noting a couple issues with sloths being held in cages that were too small without proper documentation, no major violations were found. Sloth World did receive a "verbal warning" over the cage issues.
The FWC said it found "no intentional mal conduct" by the owners to harm the sloths and said any violations found did not meet the legal definition of animal cruelty.
"Class III permit holders must maintain accurate records of their animal inventory but are not required to report animal deaths to the FWC. The climate-control issues were corrected prior to inspection, and the investigation found that the owner’s actions did not meet the legal standard for animal cruelty under Florida Statute 828.12. Deaths related to zoonotic disease were referred to USDA, and the investigation concluded without citation or written warning. There was no legal basis for enforcement action or closure, and while the deaths of these animals are tragic, subsequent inspections found the facility compliant with care and housing standards," FWC said in a statement.
Based on FWC's count, 61 sloths were imported to Florida between December 2024 and March 2026. A total of 31 died in the December 2024 and February 2025 incidents. In April 2026, 13 sloths were transferred to Central Florida Zoo for care. All were found to be dehydrated and underweight, among other issues. Two – Bandit and Habanero – have since died.
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
The USDA previously confirmed to FOX 35 that it had no active Animal Welfare Act licenses for Sloth World Orlando. The AWA sets the regulations and standards of care for animals intended for public exhibitions.
"We take very seriously our mission to protect vulnerable animals. The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) requires people who use regulated animals for certain purposes to be licensed with APHIS and meet established standards of humane care and public safety. When we hear public concerns about facilities potentially engaged in regulated activities a license, we investigate for appropriate follow-up. We are aware of the facility mentioned and are responding," a spokesperson for the USDA told FOX 35 in April.
"The first step APHIS takes in cases of suspected activity without a valid license is to send the individual information about the AWA and licensing requirements. If there is continued evidence of potential regulated activity, APHIS follows up to ascertain the specifics of the activity and if the individual would be required to obtain a license. If they continued covered activity without a license, APHIS pursues enforcement actions."
FOX 35 has asked if the USDA has opened an investigation into Sloth World. "At this time, we don’t have additional information to share," a spokesperson said.
Congressman Maxwell Frost sent a letter to the USDA asking Secretary Brooke L. Rollins to open an investigation into Sloth World.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office said it has no open investigations into Sloth World. FOX 35 has reached out to the Orlando Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to see if it had any open investigations into Sloth World.
State Attorney Monique Worrell statement on Sloth World Orlando
What they're saying:
"The loss of these vulnerable animals is deeply troubling, and our office mourns alongside the community. We take seriously our responsibility to pursue justice on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves, and we will do everything within our power to ensure accountability in this matter.
The Assistant State Attorney assigned to this matter immediately began seeking answers as soon as the reporting regarding the death of the sloths began. He reached out to Senior Statewide Prosecutor Lauryn Day based on their prior working relationship in animal cruelty cases during her time with this office to seek her perspective on the matter. This type of inter-agency collaboration is not uncommon, particularly in matters requiring specialized knowledge.
To be clear, neither the assigned ASA nor Ms. Day is investigating this matter. At this stage, they are in preliminary discussions about which law enforcement agency would be best suited to conduct an investigation, should one move forward. We do not have any information regarding an investigation that is currently underway.
The State Attorney’s Office serves a distinct and deliberate role in the criminal legal process: we do not investigate cases — we receive investigations from law enforcement, evaluate the evidence, and make prosecutorial decisions grounded in law and fact. That distinction matters, and it guides everything we do.
When we have more information to share, we will do so through the appropriate channels."
The Source: State Attorney Monique Worrell issued a statement on Sloth World on Monday afternoon, May 4, 2026. On May 1, Attorney General James Uthmeier shared a letter he sent to Rep. Anna Askamani, who had requested an investigation into Sloth World. Additional statements from Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and USDA