ORLANDO, Fla. - The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens has shared a major milestone in the rehabilitation of the sloths rescued from Sloth World.
In the zoo’s care unit, keepers use positive reinforcement and human desensitization to train the sloths to participate in their own checkups, completely eliminating the need for stressful sedation or restraint.
- Chewie & Phantom: The duo is training to hang from their back legs and do a "long stretch" toward the ground, positioning themselves perfectly for stress-free X-rays.
- Dolce: The resilient survivor was pictured snacking from a new hanging feeder, which was purchased by a community member via the zoo’s Amazon Wishlist.
The zoo continues to utilize public support to fund specialized care while the sloths complete their extended health quarantine.
Meet the 8 remaining sloths
Sloth experts and the keepers at the Central Florida Zoo said sloths require a strict diet and environment and, like most animals, often hide stress or potential medical issues. While some of the sloths have been moved out of the ICU, a sloth could go from a healthy condition to a grave condition quickly and without notice, the officials said.
- Chewy
- Dolce
- Phantom
- Blackberry
- Hazel
- Leeloo
- Mojo Jojo
- Pearl
The Source: This story was written based on information provided by the Central Florida Zoo on July 4, 2026.