It was the missing persons case that grabbed headlines from here at the Lake of the Ozarks to Rolling Stone Magazine: Hollywood chimpanzee Tonka was discovered in his former owner’s basement in Sunrise Beach nearly a year after she faked his death. Now a new video narrated by Alan Cumming, Tonka's co-star in the 1997 film Buddy, shows the chimp as he is today: alive, thriving, and—like many lucky older adults—retired in Florida.

Tonka at the Sanctuary

Tonka in the Save the Chimps sanctuary 

Photo courtesy of PETA

“Tonka was transferred to the lush, tropical Save the Chimps sanctuary, where he is looked after by caring staff and where he spends most of his time outdoors, soaking up the sunshine and feeling the cool rain on his skin, with other chimps right there beside him,” Cumming explains. “So Tonka got his happy Hollywood ending and will live the rest of his life in safety and peace.”

That Hollywood ending nearly didn’t happen. When PETA first tried to carry out a court order rescue Tonka and six other chimpanzees from the Missouri Primate Foundation, his former owner, Tonia Haddix, falsely claimed that he had died and that her husband had burned the animal’s body to ashes. But PETA didn't believe the story and the animal rights organization and Cumming offered a joint $20,000 reward for information about Tonka. A phone call recording came to light in which Haddix admitted that Tonka was still alive—and that she planned to “euthanize” him. PETA went to court, obtained an emergency order to prevent his death, and arranged for 24/7 surveillance to ensure that he wasn’t moved again. Tonka was evaluated by expert veterinarians, who found not only that he wasn’t suffering from “congestive heart failure” as Haddix had reportedly claimed, but they say she was also apparently giving him massive doses of drugs that he didn’t need.

Tonka in Sunrise Beach

Tonka found in Sunrise Beach 

Photo courtesy of PETA

PETA arranged to transport Tonka to Save the Chimps, a Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries–accredited great-ape rehabilitation facility. According to PETA, after enduring months in a cramped basement cage, Tonka now embraces every opportunity to climb to the top of his spacious enclosure, interact with his chimpanzee neighbors, and spend as much time as he can outdoors—even when it starts to rain.

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