Mike the Tiger: Preserving the Roar!

Mike V, LSU's Royal Bengal tiger mascot, celebrates his 15th birthday Oct. 19, 2004. Although tigers in the wild typically live about eight years, 15 is relatively young compared to most of Mike's predecessors. Mike I, Mike III and Mike IV lived to the age of 20.

According to Dr. David Baker, Mike's personal veterinarian and director of LSU's Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Mike V will continue to be LSU's mascot for at least another 5 to 7 years. However, when the time comes to find a new tiger, Baker would like for LSU to participate in the Tigers Species Survival Plan.

"I think it would be great if LSU could serve as the host location for a tiger that is actually a part of an international effort to maintain the genetic health of the Bengal tiger as a subspecies," Baker explained. "We would own the tiger, but the tiger would be pedigreed and a part of this Species Survival Plan."

The Tigers Species Survival Plan is an effort by veterinarians and conservation biologists to maintain the genetic health of tigers as a species and is a part of the larger Species Survival Plan program, or SSP.

The SSP is a cooperative population management and conservation program for selected species.

The program, which began in 1981, manages the breeding of a species to assure genetically diverse and demographically stable populations.

"They would likely have to send someone out here to view the housing," Baker explained. With plans to build Mike's new enclosure already under way, the SSP would probably be viewing Mike's new 15,000-square-foot enclosure.

Torre Design Consortium, LTD has been hired as the architect for the design of Mike's new habitat. From Mike's personal Web page, LSU fans, alumni, and students can take a virtual tour of his new home, which will include a live oak tree, waterfall and stream, as well as an educational center for visitors.

"This [habitat] is vital to future Mikes because without it we will have difficulties getting a new tiger," explained Sarah Weber, the development director of the Tiger Athletic Foundation Collegiate Club and junior in mass communication.

The Tiger Athletic Foundation, TAF, is in charge of raising funds for Mike's new home and began the grassroots "I Like Mike" campaign in 2001. TAF is currently accepting donations and sponsors for the building of the $2.5 million project.  

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Written by Erin Fink | LSU University Relations
Highlights Team
August 2004

Related Links

• Mike the Tiger: Preserving the Roar! (LSU Highlight, Fall 2004)
• Tiger Tales (LSU Highlight, Summer 2004)
• Preserving the Roar! (LSU Highlight, Spring 2004)
• Game Day: Mike the Tiger’s Way (LSU Highlight, Fall 2003)
• Tales Of The Tiger (LSU Highlight, Summer 2003)
• Caring for Mike the Tiger (LSU Highlight, Spring 2003)
• History of Mike the Tiger (LSU Highlight Fall 2002)
• Mike the Tiger: Symbol of School Spirit (LSU Highlight, Summer 2002)
• The Tiger Mascot (LSU Highlight, Spring 2002)
• Built for Royalty... (LSU News Release, October 2001)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Name: Erin Hometown: DeRidder, Louisiana Major: Mass Communication Classification: Senior Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird Favorite Movie:Dead Poets' Society Favorite Web site: cnn.com Student Organizations: PRSSA, BCM Erin is a student writer in the LSU office of University Relations where she is given the opportunity to write press releases and feature stories as well as work on the LSU Web Highlights. "I am a mass communication major with minors in political science and history which makes LSU the perfect place for me. I work with professionals in my field, live five minutes away from the state capitol and attend football games in a stadium built by Huey P. Long. How many university students across the country can say that?"