Florida prosecutors announced Friday they have opened a criminal investigation into the deaths of 31 sloths that were intended for display at a planned Orlando theme park.

According to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report released last week, the mammals died between December 2024 and February 2025 while being stored in an unheated warehouse. The sloths had been transported from rainforests in Peru and Guyana by the operators of Sloth World, a proposed tourist attraction in Orlando.

The wildlife commission's investigation documented the deaths of the South American mammals, which were being held in preparation for the controversial theme park project. Details about the specific conditions that led to the deaths were outlined in the FWC report.

Sloth World has faced scrutiny as a proposed attraction that would display live wildlife for entertainment purposes. The project's operators had imported the animals from their native habitats in South American rainforests.

The criminal investigation will examine the circumstances surrounding the animal deaths and determine whether any violations of wildlife protection laws occurred. Florida prosecutors have not yet announced what specific charges, if any, might be pursued in the case.