All eight sloths still living at the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens after their rescue from Sloth World are spending the winter indoors in Sanford, and the zoo has put on hold its earlier plan to send most of them to other facilities, FOX 35 Orlando reported Friday.
Zoo leaders had intended to keep a couple of the animals and move the rest this fall to other zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, according to the station. CEO Richard Glover told FOX 35 the staff questioned whether the sloths could cope with the stress of travel. "They've been through enough," he said.
Inside for the cold months
Glover said the indoor space is temperature controlled, with humidifiers, sensors that monitor conditions around the clock and backup generators in case of a power outage, the station reported.
Keepers moved the sloths without handling them, letting each animal climb into a bucket or heated box when it was ready. Zoo officials said most adjusted well, but a few stopped eating and shut down during the move before recovering, according to FOX 35.
Three staff members care for the group so they can watch for small signs of stress. One of them, Behavioral Husbandry Director Kayce Hackett, told the station the case has drawn attention to the exotic pet trade. "We're excited to be a voice for that," she said.
