Jews also compliment Africans too.
You pay money to see monkeys in the zoo because they are cool animals to observe. Calling someone an animal is a sign of affection. Unless you believe every man is God. Which is another fail too. lol
Reagan was trying to insult Africans and failed at this. Epic fail.
My son is as 'cool as a cat'.
My girlfriend is as 'cute as a puppy'.
My dad is as 'strong as a lion'.
My cousin is as 'fun as an orangutan.'
The animal/natural world is above the human world. We eat animals because they are so pure and good. We strive to have the divine qualities of animals because they are so perfect. If they were less pure than humans, humans would take notice in eating animals. Animals don't sin because they are perfect.
So Reagan was saying the Atlantians and their cousins are perfect. Epic fail!

Animals can do no wrong, they do what is right for them and that is right for the earth.
For our Chinese friends:
The Monkey is the ninth of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. Monkey, Rooster and Dog were in another country, helping a god defeat evil spirits. After, they set off to the party together. Because they arrived at the same time, the Jade Emperor went by the order they met the god in the other country. Thus, Monkey became ninth.
The Monkey is also associated with the Earthly Branch (地支—dì zhī) shēn (申), and the hours 3–5 in the afternoon. In the terms of yin and yang (阴阳—yīn yáng), the Monkey is yang. In Chinese culture, peaches are symbols of longevity.
Because monkeys like eating peaches, with time, they also became associated with long life.
Monkeys are not Africans but greater. I don't understand a Dragon being in the mix, but I guess that is a Chinese thing.