It was a happy ending for Tonka the chimpanzee who was the focus of the HBO documentary series Chimpanzee madnessThe primate, bred for the entertainment industry, was finally taken to a Florida wildlife sanctuary to live out his days after spending most of his life locked in cages.
And after arriving at the Save the Chimps sanctuary in Fort Pierce in 2022, Tonka was reunited with her son Cayleb.
By talking People Following the Sept. 8 incident, Save the Chimps' director of events and special projects, Dan Mathews, said Tonka is now “living out his second act peacefully with family, friends, dignity and freedom.” The father and son were left in separate facilities and rescued through separate cases.
“After three decades behind bars or in basements, isolated from other chimpanzees and eating unhealthy food, Tonka is now fit and enjoying the sunshine and state-of-the-art veterinary care on our 150-acre sanctuary with a social group of 17 other chimpanzees,” Matthews said of Tonka, who turns 33 on Oct. 5.
Chimp Crazy's Primate Star Tonka Reunites with His Long-Lost Son Cayleb at Florida Sanctuary https://t.co/NvYSK2lQmN
— People (@people) September 9, 2024
Like his father, Cayleb was abandoned when he grew too strong to handle and was eventually rescued by Wildlife Waystation, a California animal sanctuary. However, after that facility closed its doors in 2019, Cayleb was one of 42 chimpanzees in need of new homes. His bio on the Save the Chimps website states that he was initially nervous but soon befriended another chimpanzee named Jacob.
When Tonka arrived a few years later, the three chimps were moved to the property's three-acre Doug Island and introduced to the family who live there. They now enjoy the companionship of a large family group and have the freedom to explore and lounge in the sun.
Tonka's saga has captivated viewers since the documentary series Tiger King directed by Eric Goode, premiered last month. The chimpanzee had a short but illustrious career in Hollywood, appearing in the following films: Bebe: Pig in the City, George of the JungleAnd Buddy before they become too large to work with.
In the second film, Tonka starred alongside actor Alan Cumming, who was instrumental in working with PETA to rescue her from former nurse and exotic animal enthusiast Tonia Haddix. The animal rights organization had successfully won a lawsuit ruling that the chimpanzees in Haddix's care should be transferred to a sanctuary, but later claimed that Haddix had been euthanized and instead kept her locked in her basement.
Suffice it to say, Tonka was freed after years of legal battles and hunting to find the missing chimpanzee.