Bubbles (chimpanzee)
Chimpanzee once owned by Michael Jackson
Why this is trending
Interest in “Bubbles (chimpanzee)” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-07-19.
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Key Takeaways
- Bubbles (born 1983) is a chimpanzee once kept as a pet by the American singer Michael Jackson, who bought him from a Texas research facility in the 1980s.
- In 1987, during the Bad world tour in Osaka, Bubbles and Jackson drank tea with the Osaka mayor, Yasushi Oshima.
- There, he slept in a crib in Jackson's bedroom, used Jackson's toilet and ate Jackson's candy in the Neverland movie theater.
- When the trainer closed his operation in 2004, Bubbles was moved to the Center for Great Apes, a sanctuary in Wauchula, Florida, where he has lived since 2005.
- There are conflicting reports as to how he came into Jackson's possession; many state that Jackson had purchased him when he was eight months old.
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Source summary
WikipediaBubbles (born 1983) is a chimpanzee once kept as a pet by the American singer Michael Jackson, who bought him from a Texas research facility in the 1980s. Bubbles frequently traveled with Jackson, drawing attention in the media. In 1987, during the Bad world tour in Osaka, Bubbles and Jackson drank tea with the Osaka mayor, Yasushi Oshima.
Bubbles was initially kept at the Jackson family home in Encino, Los Angeles, but was moved to Jackson's home, Neverland Ranch, in 1988. There, he slept in a crib in Jackson's bedroom, used Jackson's toilet and ate Jackson's candy in the Neverland movie theater.
By 2003, Bubbles had matured into a large and aggressive adult chimpanzee unsuitable as a pet, like many captive chimpanzees, and was sent to a California animal trainer. When the trainer closed his operation in 2004, Bubbles was moved to the Center for Great Apes, a sanctuary in Wauchula, Florida, where he has lived since 2005.
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