Tonka was born on October 5, 1991, at Working Wildlife, an exotic animal breeding compound. As with other “animal actors,” Tonka was taken from his mother prematurely to be featured in Hollywood films, including George of the Jungle, Babe: Pig In the City, and Buddy. By 2003, Tonka had grown too big and strong to be used in productions, so he was transferred to a primate breeding compound in Missouri. Originally called Chimparty, the facility rebranded as the non-profit Missouri Primate Foundation (MPF) to deflect criticism about the care of chimpanzees and their use for entertainment. Tonka spent nearly two decades in these substandard enclosures, without the space and psychological enrichment needed by highly intelligent apes such as chimpanzees.