BATON ROUGE — Starting December 1, the home of Mike the Tiger, LSU’s live Bengal tiger mascot, will begin experiencing an extreme make-over.
On Friday, October 29, the LSU Board of Supervisors signed off on a lease agreement with the Tiger Athletic Foundation to allow for the demolition of Mike’s current habitat located on North Stadium Dr. This is to make way for the construction of a brand new 15,000-square-foot habitat for the beloved mascot. The new facility will be built in the same location as the existing one, and prior to construction, Mike will be moved to the Baton Rouge Zoo.
“Currently, Mike’s home is only 2,000 square feet. The new habitat will give the 400-pound tiger an additional 13,000 square feet to walk, swim, rest and play, all in the shade of a live oak tree,” said Maj. Gen. Ron Richard, chief executive officer of the TAF.
The new habitat will also feature a beautiful waterfall and stream evolving from a rocky backdrop overflowing with plants and trees. The existing gift shop located adjacent to Mike’s current enclosure will be renovated and made into a Bengal tiger education facility, where the more than 100,000 visitors a year to the mascot’s home can learn about Mike the Tiger, the Bengal Tiger species and conservation efforts to protect endangered species.
Dr. David Baker, Mike’s veterinarian and caretaker, told board members the extra space will be especially beneficial to maintaining Mike’s excellent health since the enlarged area will allow Mike more room to exercise. Also, Baker pointed out that the sandy, more natural surfaces that the architect plans to include will be easier on Mike’s paws than the artificial surfaces of the present enclosure.
The project is funded by cash and pledges contributed by TAF members.