After more than 50 sloths died at an Orlando attraction, a bipartisan bill would ban wild sloth imports to the US
Inside Climate News broke the Sloth World story, and this piece explains what the new SLOTHS Act would and wouldn't allow.
What happened: Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) and Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) announced the SLOTHS Act (Stopping Legalized Organized Trafficking and Harm to Sloths) on Oct. 20. It would ban importing wild sloths into the US, with fines of up to $100,000 and loss of import licenses. Accredited zoos could still exchange captive sloths, and researchers could import biological samples, but not live animals. Sloth scientist Rebecca Cliffe and Sam Trull of the Sloth Institute helped draft it.
Why it matters: More than 1,100 live sloths were imported into the US from 2011 to 2021. Sloth World, a planned $49-per-encounter Orlando attraction, never opened. Government records later showed that more than 50 of its imported sloths died, mostly from stress and illness. IFAW, which supports the bill, says 13 survivors went to the Central Florida Zoo.
How much agreement is there? Some disagreement on how to do it, not on the goal. The bill has sponsors from both parties. Researcher Alice Hughes of the University of Melbourne warns that without careful enforcement, wild-caught animals could be "laundered" as captive-bred.
Could someone help? Skipping sloth "encounter" photo ops, and telling your representative what you think of the bill, are two simple things anyone can do.
Across the spectrum 2
Democrat
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), lead sponsor: Frost told Inside Climate News that sloth imports are "not just a Florida problem, it's a national problem," which is why he is pushing a federal ban.
Inside Climate News ↗Republican
Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), co-sponsor: Lee told Inside Climate News that "nowhere was there a clear cut, obvious prohibition on this type of commercial activity," the gap the bill is meant to close.
Inside Climate News ↗-
Sloth
After exploring SLOTHS Act aims to protect sloths from wildlife trade, to meet the animal behind the headlines, start with Sloth.
Sloths are Neotropical mammals that spend most of their lives hanging upside down in rainforest trees in Central and South America, and are known for moving slowly.
Wikipedia · Wade · 5 min
0