Animals

Five of the sloths that came to the zoo died. The survivors are doing well and getting more comfortable with zoo staff and the veterinary processes required to ensure their health.

The temporary ban on sloth imports into Florida expires after July 10.

Willow is the fifth sloth to die at the zoo since 13 arrived there in poor condition from a Sloth World warehouse on April 24.

Officials at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are reviewing those recommendations. Last month, Florida paused the importing of sloths after the Sloth World deaths became public.

Pet owners can download an app and book one-way or roundtrip rides for their animals. Currently, the organization is serving dogs and cats.

After years of using dogs to track the scents of missing people, a Sarasota County search-and-rescue group has added a new team member. It's a really social aquatic animal with thick fur and webbed paws.

It follows public outcry that arose over dozens of animal deaths connected to Sloth World, a now-canceled attraction previously planned in Orlando. The temporary ban expires on July 10.

Dozens of sloths were captured from the wild and shipped to Florida for the now-canceled attraction. At least 34 of those sloths are now dead.

The zoo's veterinary team is keeping an extra-close eye on two of the remaining eleven animals recently transferred from a Sloth World warehouse in Orlando.

Most of the wild sloths imported by a planned tourist attraction in Orlando did not survive.

Sloth World has continued importing wild sloths through a related business, Sanctuary World Imports, acquiring at least 38 more wild sloths in addition to the initial 31 that died, according to government permit records.

Early on a Saturday in early March, amateur wildlife photographer Jo Gryniewicz captured a rare sighting of a Florida panther near the entrance of the sanctuary east of Naples.