Sloths are among the most misunderstood zoo animals. Their extreme physiological specialization and sensitivity to stress make them poor candidates for public exhibition, yet they remain popular in zoos and tourism venues.
Sloth welfare in captivity is a growing concern as their popularity drives demand in wildlife tourism and zoo settings. Their extreme physiological specialization makes them poorly suited to exhibition environments. The stress response in sloths is particularly insidious — because they move slowly anyway, stress-related behavioral changes are difficult to detect, and by the time deterioration is visible the animal may already be seriously ill. The most responsible approach is to observe sloths only in naturalistic sanctuary settings with minimal human contact.