Florida suspends sloth imports amid Sloth World debacle

The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission on Wednesday suspended most sloth imports to the state for 60 days, a victory for lawmakers and conservationists seeking to secure a permanent ban following the deaths of dozens of the animals acquired for a scrapped Orlando attraction.

“Florida making this decision will send a ripple effect across the country,” said state Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, who had met with FWC officials to voice her concerns along with sloth experts based in Costa Rica.

The executive order, published hours after it was announced in a public meeting in Fort Myers, still allowed the entry of sloths scheduled to arrive in Florida before Wednesday with proper documentation, including a captive wildlife importation permit issued by FWC.

It’s not clear how the order will be enforced, and an FWC spokesperson did not respond to a message seeking comment.

Read more at the South Florida Sun Sentinel here.