Overview
- The Center for Great Apes said a viral photo showing Jaafar Jackson posing with Bubbles is AI-generated and added that Jaafar has not visited the sanctuary.
- Staff explained their policy bars physical contact with apes, who live in protected habitats designed for safety, choice, and social bonding with their own species.
- Patti Ragan, who runs the sanctuary, says Bubbles is about 170 pounds and spends his days with a chimp group, resting, eating produce, and playing with simple items like Velcro backpacks.
- Lionsgate portrays Bubbles with CGI in Michael, which premiered Friday, a choice the studio says reflects the historical record and avoids promoting pet primates.
- Bubbles moved to the Florida sanctuary in 2005 after years with a trainer, a common shift for chimpanzees that outgrow home settings due to their size, strength, and complex social needs.