Bubbles, the famous chimpanzee once kept by pop icon Michael Jackson at his Neverland Ranch, marked his 40th birthday in high spirits at a retirement home in Florida.

The lively celebration took place at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida, where Bubbles has resided since 2005 after Jackson had to let him go. The party featured a custom, ape-friendly cake, which, according to Patti Ragan, the center's director, was festooned with mashed bananas and blue food coloring, with Bubbles' name spelled out in blueberries.

True to his namesake, the event was not short on bubbles. "We had tubs of bubble bath and paper bubbles everywhere," shared Ragan, painting a picture of a joyous and fun-filled occasion.

Bubbles, who stands 4-foot-11 and weighs 185 pounds, was excited to see the party guests, reports Ragan. He exhibited a keen interest in the staff members who turned up for the celebration.

Despite Jackson's untimely death in 2009 due to a drug overdose, Bubbles has not forgotten his former owner. Ragan recollects how Bubbles "clearly remembered" Jackson's sister, La Toya, during her visit in 2010. He couldn't stop gazing at her, likely due to her resemblance to Jackson both in looks and soft-spoken demeanor.

Jackson adopted Bubbles as a baby in the 1980s and cared for him until 2005 when the chimp's behaviour started becoming unpredictable and potentially dangerous.

Currently, Bubbles is one among 43 chimps living in the center, which also provides care for 27 orangutans. Over the years, rumors circulated that Bubbles was so despondent over Jackson's absence that he attempted suicide. Ragan dismissed these claims as unfounded, saying, "That is ludicrous. I’ve never seen him depressed. We’ve had him 18 years now. He’s been a very sweet and gentle chimp."