Here is the Reddit post written directly by Ben Agresta, the owner of Sloth World. This post was made to UCF students while he was actively recruiting people to work with his sloths — and it is still publicly visible today. 🔗 Reddit link: https://www.reddit.com/r/ucf/comments/1h82gzu/hiringzoovetstudentstocareforsloths/ This discovery is deeply disturbing. 1. The tone and content are shockingly unprofessional Agresta was recruiting students, not trained wildlife professionals, to care for sloths. When students questioned the legitimacy or ethics of the operation, he responded with sarcasm and hostility instead of transparency. This is not the behavior of someone qualified to run a wildlife facility. 2. His own words reveal catastrophic irresponsibility In the post, Agresta claimed: - Sloth World would house “about 75 sloths.” - This represented “50% of the country’s sloths.” - It would be the largest sloth collection in the world. - No experience was required — “sloth experience is rare.” - Training would be provided on the job. These statements show a complete lack of understanding of exotic animal care, veterinary oversight, or ethical responsibility. 3. These numbers now demand answers More than 50 sloths are confirmed dead. Only a fraction were transferred to the zoo. Several died after transfer. And many remain unaccounted for. If he truly had 75 sloths, then: Where are the rest? This is not a rhetorical question. It is a matter of animal welfare, public safety, and legal accountability. 4. The “pet sloth” raises even more serious concerns Before Sloth World collapsed, Agresta’s Agresta Gardens Instagram showed him with what appeared to be a sloth kept in his home. That animal: - Was never listed among the transferred sloths - Was never mentioned in any official documentation - Was never accounted for in necropsy reports - Has not been seen since Where is that sloth? If he kept a sloth privately, outside any licensed facility, that alone is a violation. If that sloth died, it was never reported. If it was sold or transferred, there is no record. If it is still in private possession, that is illegal. 5. This was not an accident — it was premeditated neglect When someone claims to have: - 75 sloths - No experience required - No veterinary plan - No USDA license - No accredited facility - No qualified staff - No oversight …and then dozens of animals die, that is not an unfortunate mistake. It is the predictable outcome of the choices he made. 6. This is why Florida’s laws must change This case exposes catastrophic gaps in: - Exotic animal acquisition - Wildlife permitting - Veterinary oversight - Facility inspection - Inventory reporting - Transfer documentation - Mortality reporting - Enforcement authority No private individual should ever be able to acquire half of a species’ national population without oversight. No one should be able to hide deaths, transfers, or missing animals. And no one should be able to operate a wildlife facility with no qualifications, no permits, and no accountability. We will continue to push for charges, transparency, and legislative reform — and this newly uncovered Reddit post will be part of that effort.