Washington’s favorite escape artist, Rusty the red panda, has been moved from the National Zoo to the Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia. And it’s all Bao Bao’s fault! (Maybe.)

The move has nothing to do with Rusty’s great escape from his exhibit last year. Instead, he and female red panda Shama have been sent to Virginia for breeding. From the Zoo:

Shama has bred in the exhibit at the Zoo before, but it’s possible the increased visitor traffic for giant panda Bao Bao could have compromised successful breeding for this pair. Out at SCBI, Rusty and Shama will get a little extra peace and quiet. Animal keepers report that Rusty and Shama are adjusting well to their new surroundings. Rusty immediately began to explore his new enclosure before munching down some bamboo grown onsite at SCBI.

Undoubtedly, you remember last June when Rusty left his enclosure, likely by climbing over rain-logged trees, and became a fugitive. Following his capture, the National Zoo put Rusty on a 24/7 watch.

The National Zoo says it’s working on bringing in two non-breeding pandas to the Asia Trail exhibit this spring. While they’re asking us to send Rusty and Shama “good vibes” as they attempt to create more red pandas, we’re asking for your thoughts as we deal with this loss. We recommend clicking through the gallery above while listening to this.