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Florida Sloth Deaths Spark Oversight Demands
9 Jun
Summary
- 56 sloths died at the failed Sloth World attraction.
- Current Florida laws treat sloths like common squirrels.
- Proposed reforms include banning wild-caught sloth imports.
The recent deaths of 56 sloths at the now-defunct Sloth World attraction in Florida have ignited urgent demands for improved oversight of exotic animals. State Representative Anna Eskamani, in collaboration with the Sloth Protection Alliance, is leading the charge for regulatory reform.
Eskamani highlighted that sloths are currently classified under Florida's Class III wildlife permit, similar to squirrels and raccoons, a classification she deems inadequate. With nearly 98 percent of U.S. sloths passing through Florida, the state's existing safeguards are considered insufficient to prevent such large-scale animal loss.
Proposed changes include a permanent ban on importing wild-caught sloths, mandatory reporting of animal deaths, and reclassifying sloths into a more stringently regulated category. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has acknowledged receiving these recommendations and is currently reviewing them. Eskamani hopes these reforms will be presented to the commission by August and potentially approved by December, with the broader conversation extending to the adequacy of Florida's overall exotic animal regulations.
