Sloth World is rapidly approaching its grand opening on International Drive in Orlando, company executives said.
The 7,500-square-foot facility will house more than 40 sloths in a rainforest-inspired environment. And although it operates near the heart of Central Florida’s tourist district, its mission is more scientific in nature, says Slothworld owner and president Ben Agresta.
“We want people to know that there are really four core things in the sloth world: conservation, education, research, and a little bit of entertainment,” Agresta said.
The attraction, which he calls “Slozarium,” is scheduled to open in February.
Visitors to Sloth World experience a guided tour in small groups that lasts about an hour.
“You’ll get to experience what sloths actually do,” Agresta said, adding that the setting encourages sloths’ natural behavior.
“There are no cages, no screens, no enclosures, no hidden rooms or secret passageways,” he said. “This is a perfectly decorated rainforest. The temperature is accurate, the humidity is accurate, the air exchange is accurate. Their food is perfect, their veterinary care is perfect. There are no predators. There are no diseases they can contract.”
Admissions will help support research efforts for this species, which only occurs in Central and South America.
“We hope that this will help a lot of people who want to know how they (sloths) actually live and actually do things and what can be done to help them really expand their horizons on the most understudied animals on Earth,” Agresta said.
Sloths, by nature slow-paced, have a global appeal, said Pete Bandre, vice president and animal protection officer at Sloth World.
“This is an animal that really captures people’s hearts, and it gives us a great opportunity to bring out an animal that’s actually not very well known,” he said.
Although Sloth World is located amidst the hustle and bustle of hotels, restaurants, T-shirt shops, and general I-Drive, its design is described as “deliberately calm.” According to Agresta, it is also highly soundproof.
“Outside they can’t hear anything. Inside they can hardly hear it…We create our own thunderstorms, we make our own noises,” he said. “So the sloths…don’t know this is International Drive.”
According to Agresta, in line with the concept of natural habitat, visitors are not allowed to touch the animals or engage in any other destructive behavior.
“We’re not going to hold the sloths. We can see them. We’re not going to high-five them,” he says. “We don’t use camera flashes. We don’t make sudden noises or nervous movements. … Sloths don’t climb on you.”
Pregnancy in sloths helps maintain corporate populations.
“Several countries in South America have been granted permission to release animals from the wild and raise them in captivity, with most going to zoos and educational facilities in the United States,” Bandre said.
Collecting a large number of sloths will give you various objectives. I-Drive locations increase the likelihood of visitor activity. Agresta said sloths are sleepy animals.
And a formidable set of animals and their medical data could be valuable to researchers, Agresta says.
“The large population of sloths currently in captivity is very useful to the scientific community because they have a variety of lineages that can be tracked later,” he said. “If we have to do research in the wild, we have to find sloths again.… Good luck.”
Although these animals are not endangered species, the threat of climate change could have a dramatic impact on their future, Agresta said.
“It’s time to study these animals and learn as much as we can,” he said.
Sloth World, located at 6582 International Drive, is selling advance tickets for $49. To purchase or learn more, visit slotworld.com.
dbevil@orlandosentinel.com
