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    Let's Get It On

    The Cutest Animal in the World is leaving Houston Zoo: Red panda moves toCincinnati for love

    Fayza A. Elmostehi
    Nov 2, 2011 | 2:03 pm
    The Cutest Animal in the World is leaving Houston Zoo: Red panda moves toCincinnati for love
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    Stop the presses (and the Twitters, while we're at it). We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Houston, the Cutest Animal in the World is now leaving the building.

    It's hard to believe that less than three short years ago, Toby — a woolly, cuddly, grape-noshing red panda — ambled his way into our lives. And now he's hightailing it out of town for a girl.

    But such is true love for you.

    "He’s received a breeding recommendation from the Red Panda Species Survival Plan of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)," Brian Hill, the Houston Zoo's director of public relations, wrote in an email. "He is going to the place of his birth — his hometown, if you will — the Cincinnati Zoo, to meet his mate."

     

      The Houston Zoo's other red pandas — Take and Keti — are staying in town to make little red pandas? We're totally cool with that. 

    Yes, Toby's skipping town for a lady friend. We s'pose Toby was lookin' for love in all the wrong places in the Bayou City. But his new girl must be some panda to get him to leave our cozy metropolis.

    Actually, there's a little more to it than that.

    "AZA helps manage breeding programs across the country, so all AZA zoos work together to make sure that all animals that are needed in breeding programs are placed in situations that will promote breeding," Hannah Bailey, curator of birds and natural encounters at the Houston Zoo, wrote in an email. "While all three of our red pandas have a very comfortable and enriched life at Houston, four pandas (or two breeding pairs) would be too much."

    Well, we don't necessarily think there's such a thing as too many red panda babies, but we'll have to take your word for it.

    "Toby will be introduced to a female in Cincinnati," Bailey wrote. "Like with many animals, not everyone wants to raise a family with others in your house — so moving Toby will give Keti and Take some privacy to grow a red panda family at the zoo."

    Oh, now we get it.

    Hey, wait a second. The Houston Zoo's other red pandas — Take and Keti — are staying in town to make little red pandas? We're totally cool with that.

    But we will certainly miss our city's original bushy bamboo biter quite a bit.

    Toby is officially heading northeast on Nov. 9, but you can bid him adieu on Sunday at his doubleheader bon voyage parties. After all, it's not every day that the Cutest Animal in the World graces your city with his cuteness. Send him off with a big, burly Texas farewell.

     See what Houston can look forward to when Take and Keti make babies in the video player at the top of this story.

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    Shaquille O'Neal Ninfa's Uptown
    Courtesy of Ninfa's
    Shaquille O'Neal had lunch at Ninfa's Uptown.

    Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, starting with a surprise visit — and big tip — from Shaq. Plus, Houston ranks among America's most overpriced cities, and rents rise in Sugar Land. Get the details on our most popular stories below, then find the best things to do this weekend here.

    1. Shaquille O'Neal leaves $1,000 tip at Houston Tex-Mex institution. NBA Hall of Famer and media personality Shaquille O’Neal surprised the crowd at The Original Ninfa’s Uptown when he stopped by for lunch, posing for pics and leaving a very big tip.

    2. Veteran Houston bartender shakes up the Heights with new tropical bar. The woman behind your favorite bartender’s favorite bar has quietly opened a new cocktail spot in the Heights. Called Berwick’s Birds of Paradise, it’s the latest project from Double Trouble owner Robin Berwick.

     Berwick's Birds of Paradise bar Robin Berwick Owner Robin Berwick took inspiration from hotel bars for BBOP.  Photo by Vivian Leba  

    3. Houston is one of America's most overpriced cities, study finds. In what may come as a surprise to some local residents, a new study ranks Houston among the 10 most overpriced cities in America.

    4. This Houston suburb had the highest apartment rent prices in June. Apartment rent prices in June were more expensive in Sugar Land than anywhere else in Houston, according to the latest monthly rent report from Zumper.

    5. Houston influencer opens an antiques-filled boutique hotel in Montrose. 109 Stratford Street in Historic East Avondale has recently opened as a nine-room boutique hotel, The Marlene Inn, from owner and Instagram influencer Lily Barfield.

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