Green bean-loving Mr. Ginger is the fourth sloth to die after about a dozen of the animals were rescued from failed Orlando attraction Sloth World.
Mr. Ginger was humanely euthanized after it became clear his health was not improving and his condition was worsening, the Central Florida Zoo announced Friday afternoon.
He was the smallest and youngest of the bunch to come into the zoo’s care in late April. He was estimated to be between 4 and 6 months old.
“Due to the sloth’s fragile condition upon arrival, Mr. Ginger required intensive care from the Zoo’s veterinary and animal care teams,” the zoo shared in a statement. “Mr. Ginger was hand-fed every few hours and spent much of his time cared for in an incubator to help regulate body temperature, as staff worked continually to give him the best possible chance at survival.”
He was photographed by the zoo’s team investigating green beans, cuddling with stuffed animals, sunbathing and being bottle-fed, quickly becoming beloved on social media.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of Mr. Ginger,” said CEO Richard Glover in the zoo’s statement. “From the moment Mr. Ginger arrived, our animal care and veterinary teams dedicated countless hours to providing intensive and specialized care. Mr. Ginger’s condition was extremely fragile, but our staff remained committed to giving Mr. Ginger every opportunity possible.”
A total of 13 rescued sloths were donated to the Central Florida Zoo on April 24 from the unopened I-Drive attraction Sloth World. They were placed under a 30-day quarantine for close assessment and monitoring, and all 13 survived the first two nights under the zoo medical team’s care. But four of the sloths — Bandit, Habanero, Dumpling and now Mr. Ginger— have since died, despite the zoo’s efforts and continual care.
Sloth World’s operators, who have said the attraction will no longer open, are currently under investigation by the state attorney’s office for the deaths of 55 sloths they imported in 2024 and 2025 from Peru and Guyana. The FWC this week paused sloth imports to Florida altogether, in response to the Sloth World deaths.
Meanwhile, Florida lawmakers are set to consider a state funding cut to the zoo amid budget talks.
The zoo says the remaining nine sloths will remain under quarantine for the foreseeable future.
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