Bubbles, the chimpanzee once owned by Michael Jackson, remains a point of fascination for the singer’s fans — but the sanctuary that now looks after him has spoken out about misinformation and ongoing “false stories” about his life.
Jackson bought Bubbles from a research facility in Texas in 1983, and the chimp later appeared alongside him in public settings, including travel on a tour in Japan.
In 2005, Bubbles was moved to the Center for Great Apes, a sanctuary that cares for chimpanzees and orangutans rescued or retired from entertainment work and the exotic pet trade.
Bubbles was still young during his time with Jackson, but as he grew bigger and stronger he was no longer suitable for show business. With Netflix’s documentary Michael Jackson: The Verdict released on June 3, some viewers may be curious about where he is today — and the Center for Great Apes has warned people to be cautious about viral claims, saying it eventually “gave up trying to correct them”.
According to the sanctuary, Bubbles stayed with Jackson until he was around six years old.
By that age, chimpanzees can become exceptionally powerful, and the Center said Bubbles had grown too strong to continue appearing in entertainment contexts.
They said he first lived at his Hollywood trainer’s compound, and was later transferred to the Center for Great Apes, where he has remained. The sanctuary also stressed that Bubbles has not been shielded from Jackson-related photos or music.
In a statement, the Center said: “Contrary to dozens of false media reports over the past 16 years… there is not (and never has been) any restrictions to what photos or music our caregivers provide.
“Bubbles has seen many photos of Michael Jackson, and often hears his music as many of our staff are Jackson fans and often play his music while they are cleaning the nighthouses.”
The Center added that while Bubbles arrived before Jackson’s death, there was little media attention on him at the time. That changed after Jackson died, when public interest surged.
It said some of the inaccurate claims included stories such as ‘things like not showing him Michael’s photo’ and even ‘a ridiculous story about Bubbles trying to commit suicide.’
The sanctuary explained that the recent explosion of AI-generated imagery has pushed misinformation even further, and it has also led to more attempts by people claiming they want to “buy” Bubbles.
“This time, it’s a bit more preposterous with the advance of AI,” the sanctuary said, before addressing one particular rumour directly.
“Jaafar Jackson did not visit our sanctuary or go into the habitat directly with a 170-pound adult male chimpanzee,” the sanctuary said.
“There have been at least 12 versions of those AI photos along with false stories about it on social media. The shocking thing to me is that people believe that.”
Some people may be surprised to learn Bubbles is still alive, but he is — and he’s believed to be around 43 years old.
In the wild, chimpanzees often reach their thirties, with the demands and risks of their environment affecting life expectancy.
In human care, however, chimpanzees can live much longer — sometimes up to 60 — and the oldest known chimpanzee reportedly lived close to 80.
That means Bubbles is considered elderly, but he shares his space with other chimpanzees who are even older, including Oopsie, 53, along with her daughter Boma, 40, plus Oopsie’s granddaughter Kodua, 23, and grandson Stryker, 21.
The Center said Bubbles is “doing quite well health-wise” for his age, and noted that he “likes looking at magazines with photos”.