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Central Florida Zoo reports bomb‑threat hoax, sloth rescue progress and visitor growth to Sanford commission
Summary
Central Florida Zoo CEO Richard Grover told the commission the zoo handled a bomb‑threat hoax, is caring for nine sloths from a failed attraction (with some still fragile), introduced two orphan cougar cubs and newborn fossas, and highlighted tourism impacts including more than 400,000 annual visitors.
Richard Grover, chief executive of the Central Florida Zoo, briefed the Sanford City Commission on June 8 about recent safety and animal‑welfare developments and the zoo’s role in regional tourism.
Grover said the zoo received a bomb‑threat call the day before the meeting and closed after staff had largely left; Seminole County Sheriff’s Office swept the park and confirmed it was safe. "Anytime we get a call like that, we're going to take it seriously," Grover said, adding that similar hoax calls have affected zoos nationally and can reoccur once publicized.
Grover provided a detailed update on 13 sloths the zoo took in from a failed private attraction on April 24. Staff lost four in the first three weeks and the remaining nine have been in medical quarantine, are underweight and recovering on a new diet. "These animals are very delicate... we think over the next two or three weeks we'll be able to feel more confident about their survival," he said.
The zoo also announced two orphan cougar cubs from South Dakota (about 11 weeks old and in quarantine) and recent fossa births (a threatened species from Madagascar) expected on exhibit later in the summer or fall. Grover emphasized the zoo’s species‑survival and conservation partnerships, noting the zoo participates in 37 species survival plans and leads programs for eastern indigo snakes.
On visitation and economic impact, Grover said the zoo averages more than 400,000 visitors per year, with "about 38 percent" traveling more than 100 miles, and cited the Asian Lantern Festival’s growth from 35,000 to 128,000 tickets sold across two months. He encouraged commissioners to help promote the zoo and directed the public to the zoo’s website for donation and volunteer information.
Mayor Art Woodruff and commissioners thanked Grover for the update and for the zoo’s conservation work and noted the city’s informal promotional support. The commission did not take formal action on the presentation.
Quote: "We were very grateful for the Seminole County Sheriff's Office coming out, sweeping the park and making sure everything was good," Grover said.
