Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens named NAVC Gives recipient for sloth rehabilitation efforts
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens has been named a 2026 NAVC Gives recipient, receiving a $10,000 award from the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) in recognition of the Zoo’s veterinary and animal care efforts supporting 13 sloths that arrived at the Zoo in critical condition earlier this year from Sloth World.
The sloths arrived on April 24 in need of significant medical and nutritional support, launching an intensive rehabilitation effort involving the Zoo’s veterinary, animal care and nutrition teams. From the moment of arrival, staff members worked to stabilize the animals, develop individualized care plans, monitor subtle changes in behavior and health and adapt treatment strategies as the sloths’ needs evolved.
“Sloth care is a lesson in patience, observation and perseverance,” said Richard Glover, CEO of the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens. “Our veterinary and animal care teams have poured their knowledge, compassion and countless hours into these animals. They have celebrated every small gain, worked through heartbreaking setbacks and continued to show up every day determined to give these sloths the best possible care. We are incredibly honored that NAVC Gives has recognized their dedication and the importance of this work.”
The work by the Zoo has required patience, innovation and an extraordinary level of trust between the sloths and the keepers caring for them. By maintaining consistent caregivers and minimizing stress, the team developed strong bonds with the animals, allowing keepers to recognize individual personalities, feeding patterns and small behavioral changes that can provide important clues about their health.
The journey has not been without loss. Five sloths did not survive despite intensive intervention and veterinary care. Each loss was met with a comprehensive diagnostic review, including necropsy and histopathology, which helped the veterinary team better understand the severe underlying conditions some animals were facing when they arrived. The findings have also helped inform ongoing care and treatment decisions for the sloths that remain under the Zoo’s care.
“NAVC Gives was created to recognize the people and organizations whose dedication makes a meaningful difference in animal health and wellbeing,” said Gene O’Neill, NAVC CEO. “The Central Florida Zoo’s team has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to these sloths through clinical expertise, collaboration, innovation and, importantly, compassion. We are proud to recognize their work and the impact it represents across our veterinary community.”
The road ahead for the sloths is still a long one, but so is the Zoo’s commitment to them. Every feeding, weight check, behavioral observation and moment of progress represents the dedication of the veterinary, animal care and nutrition teams who have stood beside these animals from day one. For the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens, this recognition is not an ending, but a meaningful reminder that the work matters and that the journey continues.
