DAVIE, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — The staff at Flamingo Gardens mourns the death of Josh who lived as an American black bear at the facility for many years. The wildlife attraction announced that Josh died peacefully from old age on Friday January 9, 2026, marking the end of his long career which included school visits and community events and thirteen years as Flamingo Gardens' leading ambassador.
Josh would have turned 27 on January 23, an age Flamingo Gardens described as a rare milestone for a black bear living in human care. The staff believed his long life span resulted from his regular veterinary appointments and his daily animal care duties and his ability to move between caregivers and community members who assisted him in moving to Davie.
The senior director of wildlife at Flamingo Gardens Michael Ruggieri described Josh as more than a zoo animal because he treated him like a member of his family. Ruggieri explained that Josh educated visitors to handle wildlife with care through showing them to treat animals with compassion and protect them and show respect to them. The public support for Flamingo Gardens became evident through Josh's extended lifespan which demonstrated his dedication to wildlife protection.
According to Flamingo Gardens Josh spent his first years of life under human supervision who provided him with direct physical assistance. Bottle-fed as a cub, he spent his early years as an ambassador animal at another facility in Davie. The role required him to visit schools and birthday parties and other community gatherings which need people to remain calm because public safety depends on his ability to handle animals safely and maintain their stable behavior. Josh displayed his gentle nature and steady personality at Flamingo Gardens through his immediate receipt of affection from all viewers who encountered him.
Our first home purchase turned out to be a short time span of ownership. The state permit loss at Flamingo Gardens' ambassador facility led to a search for a permanent location for Josh to work. At around 12 years old, Josh was moved to Animal Adventures in Okeechobee while a long-term solution was pursued. The staff at Flamingo Gardens determined that Josh needed to stay in a sanctuary because his habit of interacting with people made him unsuitable for wild release.
In 2013, Flamingo Gardens said, a community-supported effort helped bring Josh to Davie. He arrived to what the organization described as a new naturalistic habitat built specifically for him, designed to give him space and enrichment and to keep him active as he aged. The habitat at Flamingo Gardens included trees and a rock cave and enrichment toys and a pond-like pool which were designed to support natural behaviors under controlled humane conditions.
The facility staff documented that Josh brought specific health problems when he entered the facility at the beginning of his stay. Flamingo Gardens said he came in overweight and with acute osteoarthritis. The condition was treated successfully, according to the organization, though they said it progressed over time as he got older. The caregivers reported that Josh maintained his enjoyment of his environment through his pool activities and his daily routine of enrichment activities and familiar activities.
For nearly 13 years at Flamingo Gardens, Josh became a recognizable presence for repeat visitors and staff, known for an affectionate nature and an obvious comfort with the people around him. The staff at Flamingo Gardens noticed that the bird showed his highest interest when he identified known voices and he chose specific foods which made him more connected to the people in the audience.
The organization at Flamingo Gardens connects Josh's passing to their ongoing work with rescued wildlife according to their description. The organization decided to maintain the bear habitat which they built in Josh's memory because it would serve as a permanent facility to care for additional rescued bears who need assistance. The physical space built for Josh will continue as a program which supports other rescued bears in need. The community which followed Josh's story can visit Flamingo Gardens to experience his life story through the habitat.
Laura Wyatt who works as curator of wildlife at Flamingo Gardens described Josh as an unusual bear from his first encounter when he was just a few months old. Wyatt explained that his assistance led to the creation of a permanent residence for him while the community together with his caregivers showed him endless love. “He wasn’t just a bear, he was Josh, and he changed lives by connecting people to wildlife,” she said.
The story of Josh which Flamingo Gardens presents centers on his bond with humans who cared for him before he entered the system and finally found his permanent home in Broward County. The sanctuary at Flamingo Gardens became his life example which demonstrated how proper care for animals in sanctuaries succeeds when facilities have enough resources and staff expertise and when local residents choose to protect animals through safe and respectful environments.
