Sloths might look like they’re constantly smiling, but that doesn’t mean they’re happy being touched.
A Michigan teenager learned that firsthand when a sloth bit her in 2023 at an exotic pet store that offered weekly interactions.
“There were two puncture wounds and blood running down her arm,” her mother told local media.
Lately, the slow-moving mammal, native to Central and South America, has become a star attraction in the growing range of animal parks and pet shops where interactions with animals—the more exotic and up-close the better—underpin the business model. The number of those exhibitors licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture almost doubled from 2019 to 2021, with more than 1,000 sloths inspected annually in the last two years. Other creatures getting the hands-on treatment include otters, wallabies, capybaras, sugar gliders, reptiles, and primates such as lemurs and capuchin monkeys, animal rights activists say. According to federal data, the risk of animal deaths and disease outbreaks has increased. So have human injuries—and the concerns of experts and state agencies.
Sloths might look like they’re constantly smiling, but that doesn’t mean they’re happy being touched.
A Michigan teenager learned that the hard way in 2023. A sloth bit her at an exotic pet store that offered weekly interactions with the animal.
“There were two puncture wounds and blood running down her arm,” her mother told local media.
Lately, the slow-moving mammal, native to Central and South America, has become a star attraction at the growing number of animal parks and pet shops that offer interactions with exotic animals. Their business model is to offer up-close experiences. The number of those exhibitors licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) almost doubled from 2019 to 2021. In the past two years, the U.S.D.A inspected more than 1,000 sloths annually. Animal rights activists say other creatures getting the hands-on treatment include otters, wallabies, capybaras, sugar gliders, reptiles, and primates such as lemurs and capuchin monkeys. According to federal data, the risk of animal deaths and disease outbreaks has increased. Human injuries are also on the rise, prompting the concern of experts and state agencies.