Jackson's chimp Bubbles enjoys life out of public eye

Bubbles gained fame over two decades ago as Michael Jackson's simian companion. Now at age 26, Bubbles has retired to the Center for Great Apes outside Wauchula, Florida.

When Bubbles was 5 years old, he and Jackson toured Japan, where the chimp moonwalked for the media. Bubbles' new home has many places for him to hide from the limelight. The nonprofit's tropical forest setting covers more than 100 acres.

Patti Ragan, director for the Center for Great Apes, explained how Bubbles and 41 other chimpanzees and orangutans spend their day:

"They relax. They take naps together. They might go up in the top of the cupola," she said. "They go out in the chutes and lie under a tree in the tunnel system.

Bubbles was born in Texas in 1983, and it's thought he was born in a biomedical facility before being sold. When he lived with a supercelebrity such as Jackson, Bubbles could be seen in videos, posing for fan pictures, attending a news conference, his likeness appearing in a Michael Jackson video game.

"Probably the best tribute that we could pay to Michael Jackson here is to just take excellent care of Bubbles, because I know he loved Bubbles.