Exploited and killed for entertainment - Sloths should be living free in the wild
Updated: Sep 6
By Staci-lee Sherwood
Sloths are the slowest mammal on Earth and one who shares their name with a human deadly sin. Everything they do is slow from eating to blinking. Living mostly on leaves and twigs they can take up to a month to digest their food. They spend their lives living high up in the canopy of forests, where they eat, sleep and even give birth. The first known description and illustration of a Sloth was by Konrad Gessner, a Swiss physician and naturalist who wrote about them in Historia animalium volume 1 published in 1551. The species can trace their roots back to about 50 million years ago.
There are six recognized species of Sloth. There are the two-toed Sloths (Megalonychidae) and three-toed Sloths (Bradypodidae). Their names are deceiving because all sloths have three claws on their hind limbs; the difference is only in the number of claws on their forelimbs. Sloths live in the wild forests of Central and South America from Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama to Peru, Equador, Bolivia, Argentina and Colombia. Anyone who follows animal welfare knows that these countries have a long history of military coups and dictatorship and poor track records when it comes to both human and animal rights. Living in the wild still beats captivity.
Sloths have been in the news lately. This adorable and slow moving mammal has been making headlines but not for anything positive. A few years ago there were viral videos of people ‘tickling’ sloths and petting them. As usual the claims were the Sloths enjoyed it but how would any human even know that? Petting and tickling are NOT part of a wild Sloth lifestyle. We assume and hope the sounds they make are from joy and not fear. This is done not from confirmed science but by people who profit from this. Their face has what looks like to us as a smile and therein lies the convenient assumption they’re happy being touched and living around us. Wild animals aren’t designed by nature to live or interact with us so how true can that assumption about Sloths really be?
Most states allow pet Sloths. Florida has the most captive Sloths because they have very little, if any, regulation of exotic animals. They also have the most Dolphins in captivity
The Florida Aquarium rakes in money at $60 a ticket for a ‘Sloth encounter’ while the animals in their care live nothing like they would in the wild. The Palm Beach Zoo charges $65 and allows 6 people in the tiny enclosure. Jungle Island, which is neither a jungle nor an island, charges a hefty $85. It’s done for the selfie crowd and it’s not about conservation. It's a money maker
Exotic Animal Experience in Orlando lets you hug a Sloth and a Kangaroo. For an animal that lives high up in the trees away from most other species, this enclosure is far from ‘surprisingly’ natural as described by the company. If the enclosure were 200 feet high that might seem more natural.
The disgrace of Orlando’s defunct Sloth World
As reported by the Central Florida Times ‘Internal documents obtained through public records requests indicate the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was alerted in December 2024 that sloths were expected to arrive at the attraction before permits appeared to be in place. According to the records, investigators did not inspect the facility until August 2025, by which time dozens of animals had reportedly died.’ The FWC chair is Rodney Barreto, a developer and former Miami City cop during the 1980s when drug cartels ruled the city and much of the police department. He’s tried to fill in wetlands for his development project (Lake Worth). He’s hooked into FIFA and possibly the scandal surrounding them now.
ALL FWC commissioners are hunters and developers and fail every species in the state which has been well documented. Between April - May 2026 at least 57 Sloths died, that we know of, by egregious incompetence and cruelty by now defunct Sloth World Orlando owned by Ben Agresta . The FWC barely noticed.
The few survivors were not returned to the wild, instead they will remain on display as captives in zoos. Their deaths made national news highlighting once again why businesses that make money by displaying animals in captivity should be a thing of the past. Their closing took massive outrage and pressure from a public growing sick and tired of animal abusers exploiting animals without any accountability.
Click here to learn more
States that allow Sloths as a pet. 98% of Sloths come through Florida and most end up staying here. Florida is home to more Sloths than any other state, the same is true for captive Dolphins.
Who is Larry Wallach
Lawrence Wallach, a man of 67, was run out of Rockaway, New York due to his long documented animal abuse. He ran down south to Florida where he knew his crimes wouldn’t be a factor in operating a business exploiting animals. Florida has become a bastion for animal abusers. It’s also where many famous serial killers lived, maybe there’s a connection. After years of complaints of abuse and negligence the UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) investigated Wallach. This is amazing since they rarely ever revoke a license and have themselves a long history of a callous attitude toward animals. Their licensing department is Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) who issue licenses to keep wild animals captive. There’s barely any oversight or enforcement.
I’ve worked with many groups over the years trying to get APHIS to shut down many horrible zoos and circuses with little response from them. If THEY revoked his license one can only suspect how horrendous and long term his abuse and neglect of wild animals in his care were. USDA has a multi-decade history of failing to adequately enforce that law, with violators often receiving only warnings meaning if USDA reinstates his license no animal in his care will be safe.
Here is the true Wallach. He’s a self-promoting exploiter of animals that should be living in the wild being used as props. All photos taken off his public Facebook page hoping others will follow him and become animal hoarders too.
Wallach in a selfie video again sleeping with his pet Sloth
These gentle animals should never be taken to Mortal Kombat with all the noise, yelling crowds and bright lights.
It’s clear the Sloths are a commodity for his store and an arm trophy for his ego.
Back in 2012 the UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) AWA Docket No. 12-0233 ) filed a long complaint against WALLACH, “As of May 2010, respondent reported holding 12 wild or exotic animals. Respondent has received an official warning letter from APHIS (NY060 1 8). The gravity of the violations herein is great, and include repeated failures to handle animals in accordance with the applicable Regulations. Respondent has not shown good faith. Respondent has repeatedly failed to notify APHIS as to the itinerary of his traveling animal exhibitions, thereby thwarting APHIS’s ability to conduct inspections in furtherance of the Act.”
He failed to respond. The New York Supreme Court shut down his business, but it still took the USDA until 2024 to finally cancel his license. But that didn’t stop him. His showing of wild animals is technically illegal but in Florida the state won’t enforce any laws protecting wild animals. Wallach’s long record of animal abuse and misconduct includes roughly 60 animal-welfare violations (sloths, wallaby, tiger cub, kangaroos and who knows what other animals) , a guilty plea for trafficking dangerous animals, lying to federal inspectors, being held in contempt of court and having his Long Island operation shut down by a state judge, according to enforcement records and court filings.
Click here to read about many, but not all, his abuse of animals
While in New York his business, Sloth Encounters, had been issued a summons for violating Oyster Bay’s dangerous animals ordinance. According to News 12, authorities discovered a Kangaroo and Sloth in his SUV outside a coffee shop. After running away from New York he fled to unregulated Florida hoping to start a new venture.
At the May 6, 2026 Margate City Commission hearing Wallach boasted “There’s still a chance the Margate commission could vote no,” he said. “There’s a chance for everything, but I could always go to Loxahatchee, which is designated agricultural. I can do whatever the hell I want.” Clearly shows his true colors how untrustworthy he is. He’s a repeat offender.
Click hear for the news story
Not just Sloths here is exploits a Tiger cub. These photo props are usually killed by the time they reach about 4 months becoming to big to handle. They rarely go to reputable zoos and never back into the wild.
Freaks seem to love holding Tiger cubs.
Wallach and his baby Kangaroo.
Wallach is clearly planning on opening his ‘store’ of wild captive animals despite not having a valid license to do so.
Animal abusers protect other animal abusers like pedophiles protect other pedophiles. Often they are the same person. Doc Antle ran a terrible notorious fake sanctuary where he abused animals and young women in his care. This was widely reported including a documentary. If Wallach likes him……very telling.
The shame of Margate, Florida
I spoke at the public hearing on August 19, 2026 explaining how he lacked the required permits and his long history of bad behavior was paramount to banning his and similar types of businesses. The Margate, Florida City Commission voted 3-2 in FAVOR of abuse. The smarmy 'mayor' Antonio Arserio showed up dressed in a hoodie and jeans, fell asleep when the public spoke about animal abuse and kept winking at Wallach. He clearly lacks the maturity and temperament to run a city. Commissioner Tommy Ruzzano couldn't wait to approve and Commissioner Caggiano voted to approve after saying how disgusted he found this business. All three were found guilty of misconduct but are still in power collecting a paycheck thanks to taxpayers.
Click here to read what passes as public servants in Florida
Margate, Florida County Commissioner Tommy Ruzzano, from New Jersey, shows his love of people who get $$$ by exploiting animals. THIS really is true Florida. Remember that and him.
Sloths live in the wild
A Sloth can live up to 30 years in the wild. Like all other wild animals they’re losing their home to development and logging companies. As people further encroach on once wild forests their numbers will further plummet. In their bushy fur, they play host to entire ecosystems of algae, fungi, insects and bacteria. These symbiotic relationships help them thrive in the greenery of the jungle. Fascinating animals, not as much is known about them the way we’ve studied other wild animals. There is much more yet to learn. One thing is obvious, no wild animal truly wants to be stuck in a small man made enclosure without freedom to pick their own mates and food or be pawed by paying customers.
How you can help
Think how you would feel losing your home, away from family and pawed at by strangers of another species. You would hate it. Apply those same principles to other species. They were not put here on Earth to be a human prop.
Don’t go to zoos they teach captivity is acceptable
Don’t do a Sloth encounter. Think how you would feel being pawed and photographed by strangers
If one of these businesses plans to open attend a zoning board hearing and speak against it
If in Florida Boycott the city of Margate
Click here to learn more about Sloths and how you can help save them
Not to be totally unbelievable as humans have been abusing animals since creation so, this is not to be unexpected. Sloths, dolphins, lions, bears, birds and many other animals
have suffered for their entire existence when human contact is in the mix. Don't be too surprised to learn that this is the norm, not the exception.
Horrible people, no accountability to the inhumane treatment of a worthy species because the so called Florida Wildlife fails to fo their jobs. Just plain crap and gross negligence on their part.