根据州野生动物管理局的一份报告，2024年和2025年，疾病和低温在佛罗里达州的一个动物进口仓库杀死了近30只树懒。
佛罗里达州8月份的鱼类和野生动物保护检查报告发现，2024年12月，当气温降至40至55华氏度(4.4至12.8摄氏度)范围内时，21只从圭亚那进口的树懒死在奥兰多一家名为“避难所世界进口”的设施中。
根据美国农业部动植物卫生检验局的说法，树懒无法像其他哺乳动物一样调节自己的体温，在68至85华氏度(20至30摄氏度)的范围内表现最佳。
在报告中被列为设施许可证持有人的彼得·班德说，这些动物死于他所谓的“冷休克”他说，这栋建筑没有水也没有电，还没有做好接收动物的准备，但取消发货已经太晚了。该设施购买了空间加热器，但加热器触发了保险丝并关闭，让树懒独自一人至少有一个晚上没有供暖。
该设施后来从秘鲁订购了10只树懒，于2025年2月抵达。两人到达时已经死亡。其余的人看起来很瘦弱，死于该报告所称的“健康问题”班德说，他计划面试一名新的兽医，根据国家报告，该设施的第三个。
Bandre没有立即回复美联社在8月份报告中为避难所世界进口公司列出的号码。
根据2026年3月详细说明后续国家检查的报告，避难所世界总裁本杰明·阿格雷斯塔说，他已经将名称改为树懒世界公司，班德雷不再与该业务有关联。美联社周日给Sloth World Inc .三月份报告中列出的号码留下的语音邮件和短信没有立即得到回复。
检查员报告说，3月份在圭亚那树懒死亡的设施进行的检查显示，独立的供暖和空调温度恒定在82华氏度(27.8摄氏度)。他们没有观察到设施中的树懒有任何问题。
Sickness, cold killed nearly 30 sloths at Florida import warehouse
Disease and cold temperatures killed nearly 30 sloths at a Florida animal import warehouse in 2024 and 2025, according to a report from state wildlife authorities.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation inspection report from August found that 21 sloths imported from Guyana died at an Orlando facility called Sanctuary World Imports in December 2024 when temperatures dropped into the 40-to-55 degree Fahrenheit (4.4 to 12.8 degrees Celsius) range.
Sloths are unable to regulate their body temperature as well as other mammals and do best in the 68-to-85 degree Fahrenheit (20 to 30 degrees Celsius) range, according to the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Peter Bandre, listed as the facility licensee in the report, said that the animals died of what he called a “cold stun.” The building had no water and no electricity and wasn't ready to receive the animals, he said, but it was too late to cancel the shipment. The facility purchased space heaters but the heaters tripped a fuse and shut down, leaving the sloths alone without heat for at least one night.
The facility later ordered 10 sloths from Peru, which arrived in February 2025. Two were dead on arrival. The rest appeared emaciated and died of what the report termed “poor health issues.” Bandre said that he planned to interview for a new veterinarian, the facility's third, according to the state report.
Bandre did not immediately return a message The Associated Press left at a number listed for Sanctuary World Imports on the August report.
According to reports detailing follow-up state inspections in March 2026, Sanctuary World President Benjamin Agresta said he had changed the name to Sloth World Inc. and that Bandre was no longer affiliated with the business. A voicemail and text that the AP left Sunday at the number listed in the March reports for Sloth World Inc. were not immediately returned.
Inspectors reported the March inspections at the facility where the sloths from Guyana died revealed independent heat and air conditioning with a temperature constantly set at 82 degrees Fahrenheit (27.8 degrees Celsisus). They did not observe any issues with the sloths the facility was holding.
